Interpretations:
I asked
myself the significance of them running throughout that whole region.
I thought to myself why do
people run. People usually run when they are in a hurry to get to
places. There are athletic reasons too why people run but this was not
the time they decided to focus on athletics. Instead, they ran
throughout the whole region for a specific purpose. They recognized who
Jesus was and wanted to bring others to Jesus. They wanted to do it
quick too for they knew the healing power of Jesus. This is evidenced by
what happens next.
I asked
myself the significance of them ‘carrying
the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was’
They did not wait for Jesus to
come to the sick people but instead they took it upon themselves to lead
the sick to Jesus. They took the initiative to look for all the sick
throughout that whole region so they can bring them to Jesus. Once they
found the sick, they acted on it. This is evidenced by what happens
next.
I asked
myself the significance of ‘and wherever
Jesus went-into villages, towns, or countryside-they placed the sick in
the marketplaces.’
It is very significant because
the location of where Jesus went did not matter to them. Whether it was
a suburb, rural area, urban area, etc, they did not let that stop them
from taking the sick to Jesus. They knew the power of Jesus to bring
healing and did their part to introduce the sick to Jesus. The key is
introducing the sick to Jesus. They brought people to Jesus but they
could not do anything further for the sick. It was up to the sick now to
act. They did act.
“They begged him to let
them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were
healed.” (Mark 6:56, NIV)
I asked
myself the significance of this verse and its implications.
As I read this verse, I felt
‘They’ did not refer to the ‘people who brought the sick to Jesus’
instead ‘they’ referred to the sick themselves. The sick were introduced
to Jesus by the people that brought them to Jesus. The people could not
save the sick or heal them for only Jesus could. They did their part in
introducing them to Jesus. Now, it was up to them to act. I believe
those that were in the marketplace did act. They
(sick) begged him (Jesus) to let them (all the sick) touch even the edge
of his cloak, and all who touched him (Jesus) were healed.
The implications are profound.
The sick had to act acknowledging their own sickness and a need for
healing in their lives. The sick would have known before that a
‘woman with bleeding who touched the robe of Jesus was healed’.
So now they have such faith that
they want to at least be able to touch the cloak of Jesus, so they can
receive their healing. Overall what others did for them played a role
but others actions did not save them. It was the sick people’s
willingness to ask Jesus for healing that saved them.
Implications:
I saw important implications for
my own life. Knowing Jesus should prompt me like the people did,
to go to places, bring them, and introduce Jesus to them. My
introduction of Jesus to them is because of who Jesus is and the healing
Jesus can bring in their lives.
For me I am thinking more of
spiritual healing and these verses can be an analogy. The people that
heard of Jesus and His healing powers cared so much for their loved ones
and those they know that they went throughout the region to bring the
sick to Jesus. In the same way, I need to bring the sick to Jesus. I
need to introduce people to Jesus Christ. In essence, wherever people
are, I need to share the Gospel with them and take the Gospel to them.
My favorite way of sharing the
Gospel is to use the bridge diagram which the Lord helped me one day to
use with just three newspapers and a pamphlet. I did my part of
introducing the person to Jesus. I am called to spread the Gospel and
obey the Lord’s Great commission. I was able to do that and want to
share with you the example later. It is important to remember though
that me introducing the person to Jesus is not the same as the person
introducing themselves to Jesus and asking Jesus to heal them of their
sin. I know that I cannot save anyone. Just because I am a follower of
Christ does not mean those I come in contact with and introduce to Jesus
will become followers. It is the Lord’s work and the Lord has to work in
their heart. They need to see their own sickness and reach out to Jesus
as the sick people in the marketplace did.
When the sick reached out to
Jesus asking for healing, Jesus healed them. When anyone introduces
themselves to Jesus and asks for healing, Jesus will heal them. But for
people to even know they are sinners and need a Savior, someone has to
be sent to tell them about Jesus, to introduce them to Jesus.
I thank the Lord for the
opportunity. If I were to die tonight, I would not have any regrets of
being in ministry and seeing lives changed. Sometimes from a worldly
view my mind wanders but I need to walk in the Spirit.
I had aspirations to become a
lawyer and work the top cases to fight for freedom for Christians and
against the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) but things changed one
day. To minister to students became such a burden that after I got my
first degree, I went on to do campus ministry for couple of years. My
mission became ‘counseling broken hearts with the love of Christ’ to see
lost souls come into the Kingdom of God. I knew for Christ alone could
heal those that are sick and lost. BTW, this does not mean law school is
completely out for me even now. I need to depend on the Lord for
everything.
As the days went by I saw the
campus as a mission field with so many people from so many nations
converging to get academic knowledge. That is great but what is academic
knowledge apart from the One who gives that knowledge. So, even as
people continued in their academic pursuits as I have, I let people see
that they need to come to know the One who gave knowledge. They need to
come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Personal Savior for He is
the Creator and we are the Created. He knows everything about us and
that is wonderful to know. It is amazing how my reading of Proverbs 9
today and one of the verses coincides so much with what I am learning.
"For the
reverence and fear of God are basic to all wisdom. Knowing God results
in every other kind of understanding." (Proverbs 9:10, TLB)
I love my job and am so thankful
to the Lord and the managers who recommended me for my position as
supervisor of food services. I would not consider it a prestigious job
from a worldly point of view but it is so prestigious to me because of
the opportunity to be on a mission field which is the campus for me. My
full-time job is like tent-making for me. My job helps me with life’s
expenses and also helps me not to depend on others for funding to do
ministry.
I still see the campus as a
mission field and see myself as a missionary from India reaching
students with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in America wherever the
students maybe from whether they are from rural or urban, expatriates,
etc.
Some things are hard from a
human point of view when you do not have a prestigious job but I am
depending on Jesus Christ for the things I desire for Him to bring into
my life.
My own manager asked me what I
was doing working for him with all my degrees, minors, and another major
and my response has been GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. Student ministry has
always been strongly imparted upon my heart and even when one door
closes, the Lord Jesus has opened other doors. When I get discouraged,
He shows me that He is proud to use me for His honor and glory.
I share about myself to let you
know how relevant the Gospel of Jesus Christ is even to this day. The
verses we read in the Bible were not alive just then but they are alive
even now. God's Word is living and active as Hebrews 4:12 states.
"For
the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged
sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews
4:12, NIV)
What happened then happens now
too. Just because we do not see the miracles of Jesus face-face always
does not mean they are not happening now. They are! I have read about
lame walking, the blinding seeing, the deaf hearing, and the dead raised
to life in our generation. I have seen students give their lives to
Christ and have a turn around in their life. I have experienced the
power of the risen Lord and Savior in my own life. It was because my
mommy introduced me to Jesus Christ and I asked Jesus to be the Lord and
Savior of my life. My mommy could not save me but she could only
introduce me to Jesus! I had to introduce myself to Jesus to be saved.
No one can save another for there is no name under
Heaven by which we must be saved except the name of Jesus, the
glorious precious Name.
I ask you
now dear friend, who do you introduce to Jesus?
Dear friend, you do not have to
be a missionary by name to introduce someone to Jesus. Whatever your
profession is, you can use your profession to introduce people to Jesus
as you depend on Jesus. One of my favorite devotionals has been on
P.R.O.F.E.S.S.I.O.N in the archives to the right. If you are faithful,
available, and teachable, Jesus will take care of the rest.
You say,
you are afraid and do not know where to start?
Start with your testimony. Tell
people how Jesus saved you and how you came to know Jesus. Tell them
what Jesus did in your own life. If you are still shy to do that, a
subtle way is the way you live your life around believers and
non-believers. Let them see that the Christ you serve is not just a god
among many gods. Let them see that Jesus is the
Way, the Truth, and the Life as He claimed for He is.
No one comes to the Father except through Jesus.
Live your life with Jesus before you live it for Jesus. Others will
notice a difference.
I still highly recommend talking
to others about Jesus. You cannot do it on your own strength for none of
us can but you can do it with the power of Jesus working in you and
through you. Allow the Spirit of the Living God to work in you and
through you. Spend time in His Word and prayer. Let His Word penetrate
your heart and let Him work in you.
Don’t push yourself and let
Satan condemn you. For Satan will make you feel guilty even when it
comes to the Gospel, not so you will proclaim the Gospel but so you
would give up.
If it is hard talking to others
about Jesus, wait on Him and let Jesus know how you are feeling. If you
want training in talking to people about Jesus or introducing people to
Jesus, with the Lord’s help I can provide the training. Lord has used me
to train others in the past. I will be sharing a personal experience of
mine on presenting the Gospel later.
It has been four days (really
three, since I do not write on Sunday Sabbath) since I have written to
you all. I missed writing to you all. These days, I have learned so much
from the Word of God. I finished reading through the Old Testament on
August 08, 2005 at 7:42 a.m. Of course, I started reading it around July
09,05 – July 14,05 from Genesis. Now, I am so excited to read the New
Testament and just know more about Jesus and to get to know Him more and
more personally. The more I know Jesus, the more I want to introduce
others to Jesus.
If someone means so much to you,
you are so excited to share about them with others. You talk about them
and they cannot be off your mind. You daydream about them and think
about them a lot. We do that a lot with human relationships.
Compared to the human relationships you are in,
how much does Jesus mean to you. If Jesus means a lot to you, you
would want to spread the Gospel and introduce those that do not know
Jesus to Jesus. You are introducing them to Jesus and not saving them
for that is not your job. The person introduced to Jesus has to
introduce themselves to Jesus.
My mommy introduced me to Jesus
in many ways but I had to introduce myself personally to Jesus and ask
Him to be part of my life to be saved, to be healed of this deadly
sickness known as sin. Now, because of the antidote I have accepted
which is the precious cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, I am healed and
my sins are covered over. This can happen to all who introduce
themselves to Jesus. They can be cleansed of their sin.
I
want to share with you one of the ways I was able to present the Gospel
to a person. Our job is to sow the seed and let the Lord do the watering
and growing so they will come to know Jesus.
One person just the other day
was so interested when I told him how Jesus had healed me of my severe
asthma that he wanted to know more about Jesus and what Christianity is
about.
I praise the Lord two days
later I had the opportunity to meet with him again. He was Hindu by
background and I got to share with him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I had
just got of work and felt like going home because I was so tired but
felt I should call this person to see if he was still planning to meet.
He told me that he was waiting for me at a church near campus.
When I met him I did not have
a Bible on me or a writing utensil but prayed to the Lord to help me
share the Gospel with him with what I had in front of me (3 folded
newspapers and one pamphlet).
I put two newspapers
together and shared with him how
MAN
and GOD were together in the beginning.
Then, I pulled the two
newspapers apart and told him that is what sin had done to our
relationship with GOD. Sin had separated
MAN
from GOD and now MAN
and GOD were apart and there was a big chasm.
Now MAN tried to do
everything he could to reach GOD by doing good works, etc but whatever
MAN did he still could not reach GOD. All his good works were falling
down the chasm. His good works were not providing a way to reach GOD. I
told him that you can do 99 good things and one bad thing which will
still separate you from GOD because GOD in His Holiness cannot allow sin
to enter His presence.
Then I told him that is how
religions of the world are. In all the religions of the world, people
are trying to reach GOD by their good works. They think if I do this and
that, it can give me access to GOD. I told him some think praying three
times a day will make them right with GOD, others think worshipping
idols will make them right with GOD but the bottom line is
MAN
made religion and everything still falls in the chasm. All our good
works we do are like filthy rags to GOD, so that will not give us access
to GOD.
So, I asked him if God
should ask you "why should I let you into Heaven what would your
response be" and to think about it.
I told him if your answer is
the good works you think you do, that will not cut it and GOD knows
that. Then, I mentioned to him because GOD knows
MAN
is trying to reach Him but cannot, GOD decided to take it upon Himself
to provide the WAY to
MAN. GOD loved MAN so much
that He sent JESUS CHRIST into the world to come and save
MAN
when MAN
turns to Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins.
I told him we do not get
access to Heaven because of anything we do but because GOD decided to
reach out to us in His mercy and grace through the promise of JESUS
CHRIST. JESUS died on the cross for you and shed His cleansing blood to
wash away all your sin so now when you come to JESUS CHRIST and ask Him
to come into your heart, He will forgive you of all your sin and live in
you and you can have access to GOD and heaven.
I told him when GOD asks me
‘why should I let you into Heaven?’, my response would be, “not because
of anything I have done GOD because whatever I do is not good enough for
you GOD because you in your Holiness cannot allow sin to enter your
presence but because I believe in what JESUS CHRIST did for me and am
covered by JESUS and His precious blood, so when you see me, you see
JESUS’ blood covering over me and JESUS in front of me, I can have
access to you.”
Then I emphasized when MAN
and GOD were together and sin separated MAN and GOD, creating a huge
chasm, GOD in His love for us provided JESUS CHRIST to become THE WAY to
reach GOD.
Now, I took the 3rd
newspaper and the pamphlet and made a CROSS out of it and put it where
the separation and the dark chasm existed. I told him the CROSS became
the BRIDGE for MAN to get across to reach GOD.
I took the 1st
paper and walked it on the CROSS to show him, MAN did not fall in the
chasm anymore but was able to reach GOD when
MAN
decided to depend on what JESUS did for him. I emphasized JESUS CHRIST
and Him alone to save us from our sin and reach GOD because of His
grace. I told him JESUS CHRIST became GOD-INCARNATE to reach us.
I wanted to emphasize to him
that it is by GRACE we are saved through FAITH and not of any good works
that we should boast!
I want to share the bridge
diagram with you here which I did not have to share with him in
animation format:
Being a Hindu, he told me
that he believed there were many manifestations of God but they were
still all gods and JESUS is a god to him. I told him, no, no, no!!!
Religion is man made. I even told him that the word Christian came to
identify ‘Followers of The Way’ easily. At Antioch, ‘Followers of The
Way’ became known as Christians. They were Christians because they
followed Christ.
Then, I told him
JESUS said, “I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the
LIFE; no one comes to the Father except through me.”
This means being a Hindu will
not save you, being a Muslim will not save you, being a Buddhist will
not save you etc for only JESUS can save you.
He still had a lot of
questions and I told him that I cannot explain everything to him but
just as Jesus has answered my questions and doubts as I came to Him, He
will answer yours too. I told him this I do know that JESUS is real to
me.
I told him that I was Hindu
by background and had severe asthma. I told him none of the Hindu idols
could heal me. I told him my mom was a devout practicing Hindu until she
gave her life to JESUS CHRIST after watching the Billy Graham Crusade in
1978. Then, through the years our mom shared JESUS CHRIST with us and
read Bible stories for us. I still was Hindu by background but I was
learning about JESUS CHRIST. One day I said to myself if
JESUS is the same yesterday, today, and
tomorrow as the Bible says then what JESUS did then, He could
also do now. Since I had severe asthma, I wanted JESUS CHRIST in my life
to heal me so I asked JESUS into my heart as my mom prayed with me. I
was healed of my asthma too as Christ came to live in me.
I told him JESUS CHRIST is so
real to me. Then, I told Him that I follow JESUS CHRIST because He is
real. I also shared with him to remember just because I became a
follower of JESUS did not mean I did not face any hardship or struggles
anymore for I did face them. But, I told Him that JESUS is there to give
me the strength and endurance to bear. He mentioned inspiration and I
told him that JESUS gives His peace.
I told him JESUS is real and
you can have JESUS in your life so one day you can meet GOD in Heaven. I
told him the only other option is Hell and you do not want that. I told
him it is exciting that you can meet JESUS face to face one day as you
become His. I told him that I can pray with him right now and he can
give his life to JESUS asking JESUS to come and live in him. I told him
that I will pray and he can repeat after me.
I also told him about
Christmas and Easter! JESUS came as GOD INCARNATE! JESUS died for our
sin and came back to life to save us!
I shared with him one Easter
afternoon, I felt I should go online and open a counseling chat room. I
told him a person came into the chat room and I prayed with her and she
prayed with me and gave her life to JESUS CHRIST. Then, I told him it
happened over the internet and I could not see the person at all like I
see you so wondered about it. I then told him how I had received a
letter in my mailbox from her. She wrote saying that she had become a
Christian in a chat room I had created for counseling and that now
because she became a Christian, her husband had come to know JESUS
CHRIST too! She also sent money for me to continue in ministry.
I wanted him to see that
JESUS CHRIST is real. All the theological answers were not what made an
impact on him but testimonies. After I shared with him, he asked me is
it that simple to pray and then you become a Christian. I told him yes,
when you ask JESUS to come into your heart, He will make His home in
you. Then, he told me he wanted JESUS in his heart.
Then, he asked,
you don’t have to believe but just pray?
I said of course you have to
BELIEVE. You do not pray asking JESUS to come into your heart if you do
not BELIEVE in JESUS. I told him it is not like a mantra where you just
say things for the sake of saying it. No, it does not work that way.
Praying just words without belief becomes words if you do not believe
what you are praying. Even if you believe what you are praying and it
is not true, there is no true effect. I told Him Jesus is the Truth!
Then, he said I do not mind
having JESUS in my heart for who does not want JESUS in their heart.
JESUS is a god to me. I said no, no, no!!! JESUS cannot be a god to you.
JESUS has to be the only WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE! JESUS has to be
real in your life. The Bible says, you should not worship idols. You
cannot follow JESUS and still worship idols. JESUS does not want you to
worship what you create. JESUS is the CREATOR and we are the CREATED. We
need to worship the CREATOR and not idols.
Then he says to
me if I become a Christian, what happens back home when they find out I
changed from Hindu religion to Christian?
I told him if JESUS is real
to you, you will not care what people think. When you have JESUS in your
life, He will become so real to you that you can stand up to your family
and others because of your love for JESUS. I told him it will not be
easy and I heard of Muslim families where the person who became a
follower of Christ is thrown away from the house because they gave their
life to JESUS. I said, but you know what, they gave up their family too
because that is how real JESUS became to them. Lord, provided Christian
families to take care of them. I told him the cost of following JESUS
and it would not be easy. He understood it.
I told him when we die we can
be with JESUS in Heaven and also see those who have given their lives to
CHRIST when we see Heaven. He asked me how it can be if our bodies die
down here. I told him that our bodies here do die and decompose but when
JESUS CHRIST comes back, He will give all of us new bodies so we can be
with Him in Heaven. He took it all in understanding.
I asked him again if he
wanted to ask JESUS into his heart. He told me he still had doubts and
was not sure about everything but said something profound: He said, if I
believe in JESUS, He will take my doubts, build my faith for only He
can.
I told him, yes, JESUS will
help you grow in your faith. I reminded him I have been a Christian for
20 years and had my questions and doubts through the years but JESUS has
helped me through them and he will help you too! I told Him Jesus still
helps me with issues. He was now ready to accept JESUS into his life.
PRAISE GOD!
I told him that I would pray
and that he should repeat after me. He told me to go slow and not have
long sentences. I said ok and prayed with him and he repeated after me,
giving His life to JESUS CHRIST, the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.
I told him now ‘you are a
Christian and one day will see JESUS face to face in Heaven.’
I told him he may feel
something or may not feel anything after praying but not to go by
feelings because JESUS promised not to leave us or forsake us. I told
him JESUS will stay with you and not let you go. I told him he has the
Holy Spirit in him. I told him there is partying in Heaven and they are
rejoicing right now celebrating because you gave your life to JESUS
CHRIST!. I told him the Bible says there is rejoicing! Thank you JESUS!
I gave him a big hug and told him that he is now a brother in CHRIST.
Friend, I want to be on campus
as long as the Lord keeps me so I can do His work and also address
issues of morality from a biblical perspective. This is why
www.pittsburghstandard.com exists too! The paper covers other issues
too but they are all a means to interest students and non-students who
read the religious section of the paper.
You can make a difference
friend. You can be ready, for Jesus will come one day and take His own.
Tell your loved ones about Jesus by your actions or words. Let them see
the difference in you. Remember most of us who have come to know Jesus
Christ as our Lord and Personal Savior have come because someone
introduced us to Jesus.
Now won’t
you do that friend?
“But
what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your
heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you
confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that
God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your
heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that
you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in
him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference
between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses
all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved." (Romans 10:8-13, NIV)
People want to hear Jesus and
there is a cry, “introduce now to rest of dying us, Christ’s
emancipation”
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not
believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not
heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how
can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful
are the feet of those who bring good news!" (Romans 10:14-15,
NIV)
May you come to know Jesus so
personally that you cannot help introduce Jesus to those around you by
testifying to His love! Amen!
“Introduce
Now To Rest Of Dying Us, Christ’s Emancipation.” (I.N.T.R.O.D.U.C.E)/”Who
do you introduce to Jesus?”
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I love you so much. Thank you for loving me so much! We
are sorry for our sin. Please forgive us and help us. Thank you Jesus
for dying for my sin and coming back to life to save me! Thank you so
much Jesus for what I have learned from your Word. When the people
recognized you and who you are, they did not remain silent but took
action. They went throughout the region and brought the sick to you. In
essence, they introduced the sick to you. When the sick introduced
themselves to you and asked for their healing, you did heal them. Thank
you so much Jesus. You not only heal our physical infirmities but our
spiritual condition too. You have healed me of my damaged spiritual
condition because apart from you we all are damaged goods. Thank you for
your healing in other areas of life too! You alone can make us what we
need to be. Because of what you have done for us, help us to remember
that always and want to introduce others to you. We need your help Lord
for we cannot do it on our own. We are weak, we are scared and at times
just frightened but we know you can help us. We depend on you and wait
upon you Lord for your healing. Come Lord Jesus and reign in us. Help us
to get people ready for your coming. Thank you so much Jesus. We thank
you for the lives that you save. We thank you for the Promise! Lord, I
pray right now for the one that does not know you! You know their
questions, their pain, their condition, and they need you. They need you
even when they feel they do not need you. Please intervene in their
lives and I know they can introduce themselves to you and come to you.
Thank you for loving them so much that you died for them. If they were
the only one, you would have still died for them. Thank you Jesus! Help
us to live for you and serve you. We acknowledge you as our Lord and
Personal Savior! Thank you for saving us. Thank you for hearing our
prayer and answering us! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
