By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009

SCRIPTURE:
“As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. (Mark 5:18-20, NIV)

Observations:
I asked myself what the actions of the man were?

1. The man who was demon-possessed begged to go with Jesus.

2. The man went away.

3. The man began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him.

Interpretations:
Why did the man beg to go with Jesus?
The man was demon-possessed! He used to be shackled in tombs and wander the tombs. He was not properly dressed, could not be in one place in peace, was mutilating himself, and not in his right mind. After seeing Jesus, running to Jesus, and falling in front of Jesus to be healed, he was healed. His gratitude is so much that he wants to leave his former life behind and not to have anything to do with it.

Observations/Interpretations:
I asked myself what happened next?
The demon-possessed man who was healed did not go with Jesus but went away.

I asked myself why he went away?
He wanted to go so much with Jesus but went away not because he changed his mind but because Jesus changed his mind. Jesus wanted him to share with others how much the Lord did for him and showed him mercy, so in obedience he went away.

I asked myself why it is significant the man began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him?
This is so significant because what Jesus told him was to "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."  Jesus is proclaiming His divinity here and the man lets others know what Jesus did for Him acknowledging Him as Lord. The man did not limit himself to just one town but ten towns. He was so fired up about Jesus being his Lord who had healed him that he went all out. It is very well possible that his family was scattered through out the ten towns. Here Jesus was alluding to the healed man that He was Lord including those around him.

I asked myself why Jesus wanted him to share with others what Jesus did for him in his life?
Jesus wanted them to know that what Jesus did for the man he could also do for the people of the town when they seek the Lord. How true that is because Scripture states to seek the Lord and He shall be found. Jesus was interested in the people of the town and cared for them.

Observations:
I asked myself what the cause-effect relationship was because of the man’s actions?
Because the man began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, all the people were amazed.

I asked myself why that is significant?
The people had a first hand account of how a demon-possessed man who was losing it was delivered by the power of the Lord because the Lord chose to save him and have mercy on him. That is so exciting to know! The man did not keep the transformation in his life secret but proclaimed it to the Ten Towns of the region to share his testimony so others could come to know about Jesus and acknowledge Jesus’ presence in their lives.

Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life here. I need to share with others my testimony of what Jesus did in my life so others can come to know of Jesus! Just as the people of the Decapolis were amazed, I know my testimony can amaze people too because it shows how much the Lord has done for me and how much He had mercy on me.

I realized my testimony can be very powerful when shared with unbelievers just as the man’s testimony was when he shared it in the Decapolis. It is not because I share it but because of the power of the Lord working through the testimony to show others His love, mercy, and grace.

This happened one day while I was at the Pitt Stop outside vendor waiting to catch my bus across the street. One of my friends came to me and told me that the person they were talking to was a Hindu and that I should speak to him because I had been from a Hindu background at one point. I was taken back because it was all of a sudden my friend came to me and told me to evangelize to this person who had just received a tract and was interested to know about Jesus.

First, I started telling him that in all the religions people try to reach God but in Christianity, God reached out to us by sending Jesus to us.

Then, I told him if God were to ask you why He should let you into Heaven, what would your response be?
Then, I proceeded to tell him that we can do 99.9% good things and even 0.01% bad things and we cannot get into Heaven because God in His Holiness cannot allow sin into his presence. I wanted him to see that Jesus alone could give us access to Heaven as we seek Jesus who God sent for us to reach us. I saw him feel uneasy and felt I was not getting anywhere with him and making him confused.

So, I finally shared with him my testimony of what Jesus did in my life. I told him, "I was a Hindu too from a Hindu background and had severe asthma. I said to myself if Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow as the Bible says He is, then what Jesus did then, He could do now too. So, I gave my life to Jesus and asked Jesus to heal me of my asthma. Jesus did heal me of my asthma!"

When I shared my testimony with him about what Jesus did in my life, he was so amazed. He was supposed to leave but stayed there and listened to another person share with him the Gospel now. He had to later leave but wanted to find a forum where he could come and discuss the Bible with us. We gave him the Gospel of John and wanted him to read it and also told him where we could meet again. He took our numbers and gave me his cell number.  He was so excited to meet with me in a church to learn more about Jesus and Christianity the next time we met.

I took him through the Romans Road to Salvation and the basics of the Gospel. After listening to me and dialoging with me, that night he gave his life to Christ and became His follower. Praise the Lord!!!

It is sharing my testimony just as the demon-possessed man shared his testimony after his healing experience that amazed the crowds and also amazed those around me who I shared with. It is the not words that I shared but the power of the Lord working through those words that drew their amazement as they saw the Lord’s work in my own life. This was only part of the testimony that I shared with him and he was amazed that he wanted to know more about Jesus.  My entire testimony through the years of how the Lord has been working in my life is way too long but so exciting too!

I ask you now dear friend, what do you do with your testimony this New Year of 2009?
Dear friend, Jesus loves you so much and if you have come to know Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior, you have a testimony to share. Yes, you do friend! Just as Jesus told the man to share what Jesus had done for him and the mercy Jesus had on him, Jesus wants you to share your testimony too! Oh, yes He does friend! He loves you so much friend and decided to work in your life for a reason.

You know, each of our testimony is unique and will not be the same but how Jesus has worked in your life can be as powerful as how Jesus worked in another person’s life. So, do not feel like your testimony is dull and does not have  monumental events to share.

I say that because some students have told me that their testimony does not have exciting events happening to share. I tell them that's ok!  They do not have to have exciting things to share. Just seeing how you came to Jesus and how Christ has been working in your life can be powerful enough. The key to remember friend is BC and AD. Share with people how you were ‘Before Christ’ and what has happened ‘After Decision’ for Christ (includes the present too)

You have a testimony friend and I know you do because when Jesus touches the lives of those who come to Him, they never same again, never and ever!  He lets you have a testimony so you can share it with others so they can see the love of Jesus for them too through your testimony.

If you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior, you can come to know Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior. Yes, you can friend! Now is the time of Salvation! The man who was healed came to acknowledge Jesus as His Savior and Lord and shared Jesus in Decapolis [Ten Towns]. He came to know Jesus because he saw Jesus, ran to Jesus, and fell in front of Jesus in his sickness and sin. Jesus had mercy on him and healed him. After being healed, the man still sat with Jesus, became dressed, and in his right mind and wanted to go with Jesus.

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow forever more. Yes, He is friend and wants you to come to know Him.

Jesus died for you and me friend so that you and I can have new life in Christ when we take His cleansing blood to wash away our sin and yield to Him. When Jesus said, 'It is finished', Jesus accomplished the reason why He came, to restore the fallen and the broken and make them whole. Jesus wants to be our Lord and Savior making us whole from the fractured lives we have lived because of giving sin its power to rule us. It is time to let go and let God rule over your lives with His love. It is time to see Jesus as a friend who will never leave you nor forsake you!

 Jesus came back on the third day to save all those who come to Him and receive His free gift of grace. Jesus will not abandon us or leave us as orphans in the storm. So you can come to Jesus.

When we do not know Jesus as our Lord and Personal Savior, we are like the demon-possessed man because we are trapped in our own sin and shortcomings. But when we run to Jesus, Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith will fix that for us as we fix our eyes on Jesus. He will work in us and through us equipping us, enabling us, and empowering us so now we can share with others how merciful and gracious the Lord Jesus has been to us.

Yes, friend Jesus loves you so much and wants you to tell others about His love for you and them. Jesus does not want our families to be trapped in their own sin and shortcomings but offers His grace and mercy so let us target our families with His grace and mercy.

I would like to invite you all who read this to go to Campus Crusade for Christ which meets at Northway Community Church on McKee Place at 8:30 p.m. tonight. Matthew Budavich is one of the leaders there. You can also see Allison.  Or check out Cornerstone that meets at 8:45 p.m. at Bellefield Presbyterian Church. Chris Ansell and Sarah Ansell will be there to help out. The students or staff will love you and help you through your questions/doubts.

Knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Personal Savior does not mean your  lives will always be peachy but Jesus will take care of you, do you believe that?

From October 2007 when my dad went into severe cardiac arrest  to now, we have seen the Lord's work in our families life though my dad went to be with the Lord Jesus in heaven on Dec 17, 2007. Since October 2007 - Dec 2007. there have been amazing miracles we have seen happen that drew us so close to the Lord and also to each other as a family. I praise the Lord for that!

We continue to see the Lord  work in our families lives to this day even through the hardship of losing our beloved dad who was my mom's faithful husband for 38 years.

Jesus has been with us even in our trials and tribulations and will be with you too, never leaving you nor forsaking you. He will be your refuge and strength giving you the strength to endure through life’s hardships. I know He will because I have seen it in my own life. Jesus not only healed me but saved me and brought me into His Kingdom and He wants to do that for you too.

Remember, He died for you too and shed His blood on the cross to deliver you too! If you were the only one I know Jesus would have still gone to the cross to save you so you can spend with Him in Eternity. That is so exciting to know friend! I know it is exciting for me and I want that for you too.  Jesus is always thinking about you and is Lord of all. However, He will not force himself to be part of your life. If Jesus wanted people to come to Him that way, He could have come off the cross after being crucified but He did not. He does not want people to believe in Him out of fear but out of love.

So you can come to Him as you are and let Him fill you with His loving presence. No matter where you have been or what you have done, His love is for you, His blood is for you, to clean you and make you white as freshly fallen snow. So come as you are! Come to the cross and receive Jesus! Let Him be the Lord of your life. I have and so can you!

I gotta tell somebody what Jesus did for me! I want to tell everyone searching that indeed Messiah’s our nurturing Yeshua! Amen!

May you be so excited with your testimony that you praise the Lord and want to share with others as Jesus gives you the opportunities. Let the Lord work in you and don't force yourself and feel condemnation. Satan loves to condemn but our Lord loves to convict our spirit in His loving way!

“Tell Everyone Searching That Indeed Messiah’s Our Nurturing Yeshua!”(T.E.S.T.I.M.O.N.Y)/”What do you do with your testimony this New Year of 2009?”

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I heard what you do in other people’s lives. Thank you so much for loving me and caring for me that you sent people into my life to share your love. Help me Lord now to do that for others. Thank you Jesus for the power of your love! Help me to give my testimony to reach others. Thank you so much Jesus. And Lord, I pray right now for the one that does not know you. I pray that they would come to know you Lord as their Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you we can share your love with others and that you have given me a mission of counseling broken hearts with your love Oh Lord. We love you and thank you again for everything you do for us. Thank you for healing the demon-possessed man and setting him free. We believe you can do the same now for those who need all kinds of healing and set people free for your Word Oh Lord says, that we will know the Truth and the Truth shall set us free! Thank you so much Jesus! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much that we are never out of your love. No matter what is tormenting us, you are there for us. When there are days we cannot get through and loneliness has gotten the best of us because we are isolated in our torment and sin, you are still there. Just as the demon-possessed man saw you, ran to you, and fell before you for healing, we can come to you too. Thank you Jesus! You made yourself available to the man with the evil spirit. Thank you Jesus for making yourself available to us now when we call your Name for we are never out of your love and never out of your reach. You Oh Lord know what we have done; you know what we will do. You know what Satan will do to entice us and torment us. We come to you Lord and ask you for your healing presence in our lives. Take any addiction and torment that people face and fill them with your power to live for you. We know you can do it Jesus. Only you have the power to deliver us from any torment and find peace in you. Thank you so much Jesus. We come to you now Jesus and ask you to forgive us of all our sin. Deliver us Oh Lord and cleanse us with your cleansing blood. We believe in you Jesus; we believe you are the Son of God, we believe that you died and rose again; we believe you are here right now standing in our presence with the power to heal now and the grace to forgive. Help us Oh Lord as we turn this song “I Believe” into a prayer to you Oh Lord. Thank you so much for coming into our heart and making our heart your home as we ask you in. Take us in Oh Lord and be our Lord and Personal Savior as you lead us and guide us. Help us to help others as you help us! Thank you so much Jesus you are in our heart making our heart your home. Thank you for living in us. Thank you for being our Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you Jesus you have heard our prayers and answered us! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!