“Present Reveals Eternal
Savior's Emancipation Now Today! (P.R.E.S.E.N.T)”
Ramesh C. Reddy
Publisher
SCRIPTURE:
This is what the LORD says— he who
made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, "Forget
the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new
thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in
the desert and streams in the wasteland.”-
Isaiah 43:16, 18-19
"A man with leprosy came
to him and begged him on his knees, 'If you are willing, you can make me
clean.' Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched
the man. 'I am willing,' he said. 'Be clean!' Immediately the leprosy
left him and he was cured" (Mark 1:40-42, NIV)
Background:
I asked myself what the stigma of leprosy would
have done to a person?
Leprosy made someone an untouchable and an
outcast from society. This man could have been ridiculed and shunned all
the days he had leprosy. He could have lost hope because of bad past experiences he may have had. More than likely he
would have had such a terrible time because his disease was contagious!
Also because people feared coming near anyone with leprosy, as they feared
getting it, they created Leper's colonies making lepers feel
untouchable. The movie 'Ben Hur' portrays an example and also shows the
redemptive side.
Observations/Interpretations:
I asked myself what did the man with leprosy
do and the significance of that?
The man with leprosy does 3 things:
1.
He came to Jesus with the disease that
made him feel like an outcast. (Skin falling off and blisters everywhere)
2. He fell on his knees
3. He begged Jesus, ‘If you are willing, you can make me clean.’
The significance of his actions show
that he was not willing to stay in the past because of his disease but took a proactive step to
move forward in the PRESENT. But moving forward was not some self-help new age
enlightenment for he knew that only Jesus can give him a new
PRESENT. That is why he came to Jesus with all the baggage of his
past and fell on his knees. In essence, there is an acknowledgment
and realization here of his condition, that his identity will
always remain a leper unless there is outside intervention, so he
comes to Jesus. He does not stop there but humbles himself before
Jesus by falling on his knees and begging Jesus. This shows complete
surrender of himself and his past begging Jesus for a new PRESENT when he said,
‘If you are willing, you can make me clean.’
Observations/Interpretations:
I asked myself why the
leper used the words,
‘If you are willing, you can make me clean.’
This tells me that there were many people
who were not even willing to be near him. We can infer that he was
not sure if Jesus was going to have anything to do with him
especially because of the baggage of his past and the stigma people had imposed on him and labeled him with. Yet he takes the daring step and says,
"If you are willing, you can make me clean"
Observations:
I asked myself what were
Jesus’ reactions towards the leper and the significance of each reaction?
1. Jesus was filled with
compassion.
2. Jesus reached out his
hand.
3. Jesus touched the man.
4. Jesus said, "I am
willing"
5. Jesus said, "Be clean"
Point 1:
Jesus was filled with compassion.
It is important to remember if Jesus had not left Simon and Andrew's
place with his disciples after spending time in prayer, the man would
not have had an encounter with Jesus. Jesus already knew there was a
leper who needed His help and goes there to show His mercy and grace to
the man who was sick and who wanted to be clean from his past for a new
PRESENT. So, Jesus did not shun him
but exhibits mercy and grace towards the man by doing something amazing
that would have surprised the crowds which is evident by point 2:
Point 2:
Jesus reaches out his hand.
Picture the person with leprosy
whose skin was filled with spots and was falling off. Now think about
the law that imprisoned the leper to a leper colony. No one would even
come close to him but now Jesus reaches out His hand. This is so
significant to me because by reaching out His hand, Jesus started the
process of healing the man emotionally and psychologically. Now the man
knew even as an outcast to society that He was loved by One person who
really mattered. Jesus did not stop there but goes even a step further which
is evident by
point 3.
Point 3:
Jesus touched the man.
By touching the man, Jesus continued the process of healing the man
spiritually, physically, emotionally, relationally, and mentally by the
loving Hands of Jesus. By touching the man in his sickness and disease,
Jesus was letting him know that he is loved as he is with all the
baggage of the past and that his identity
is not found in being a leper but what the Lord Jesus wants to make him
to be in the PRESENT. Jesus is letting him
know he is valued as a person regardless of his disease.
Wow! That is awesome to know! Jesus could have just said,
'Be clean' but Jesus
made it so personal to the man. By touching the man, Jesus was directly
getting involved in his life and the baggage the man was carrying as a
leper. After being an outcast, if Jesus had just said the words 'Be
healed', it would not have had the powerful effect of a personal
relationship with Jesus that the man got to have in his interaction with
Jesus. Jesus does not stop there after touching
the man but gives him words he wanted to hear. This is evident by point
4.
Point 4:
Jesus said, "I am willing"
These are the words the man wanted to hear from
Jesus and must have been ecstatic to hear them. Lepers were usually
confined to a lepers colony and could not do a lot of things that
healthy people were able to do including making a financial living. Now he knew he could be part of
a community that he was an outcast of because Jesus is willing to help him with that. This is evident by point 5.
Point 5:
Jesus said, "Be clean!"
By saying, 'Be clean',
Jesus was healing him of the bondage of his past and giving him a new
identity in the PRESENT. He did not have to see himself as a leper anymore but one who
is cleaned by the Lord. How amazing! Thank you Jesus!
I asked myself what was the result of Jesus' actions and it's
significance!
Immediately, the leprosy left him and he was
cured!!!
The significance is that
the man now was instantly healed spiritually, physically, emotionally,
relationally, and mentally from the past trauma
he faced after a personal encounter with Jesus. Now, Jesus made
something new in his life and gave Him a new identity in the PRESENT. In essence,
Jesus became the Lord of
the past for that man and
helped him move forward. The wounds of yesterday were taken by Jesus and
Jesus brought healing because Jesus can do anything.
Implications:
I asked myself what are the implications for
my own life?
Just as the man with leprosy did not let
his past come in the way of receiving healing in the PRESENT and moving
forward, I need to do the same. But for that to happen, I need to bring
myself before the Lord Jesus and give Him my past. After coming to
Him, I need to literally fall on my knees and beg Jesus to give me a new
identity from the past that has governed me to the PRESENT that He alone
can give me. That means, I need to completely surrender all that I am
before the Lord Jesus laying my sin before His feet and asking Him to
give me a new PRESENT in Christ. No matter how bad the past may have been like, I
don't have to remain and dwell in it, for the Lord wants to do new and
exciting things in my life as I wait upon Him. It starts with having a
desire to move forward and asking the Lord to be in charge of the move.
It is exciting to know that He can do it in my life just as He
transformed the lepers life! He can do that for you too friend!
I ask you now dear
friend what will your P.R.E.S.E.N.T look like in 2018?
Dear friend, how your PRESENT looks like in 2018 will depend on you
giving up your past identity and all its baggage to Jesus and take
the PRESENT He blesses you with. It could have been easy for the
leper to have given up and taken his identity from his past thinking this is how it is
going to be all the time or supposed to be in my life so why bother
with a new PRESENT. But he did not and it paid off when he took the
risk to come to Jesus, fall on his knees, and beg Jesus to clean him
up from where he was to where he wanted to be. He wanted to have a
new PRESENT and Jesus gave that to him by His grace and mercy being
shown through His loving compassion resulting in the healing of the
leper by making him clean.
It is exciting to know what
Jesus did for the leper, He can do for us too when we have a personal
encounter with Him. He waits for us to come to Him to clean us even
from our past and give us a new PRESENT. Yes, He
does! I don't know His timings but I know He loves us and wants the best
for us!
Whether you already believe in Jesus or don't, you are not exempt from the pain of the
past.
But the Good News is that Jesus is there to bring healing when we turn
everything over to Him. His healing will come in His way and in His
time. But, it will come. Thank you Jesus.
When Jesus becomes the Lord of the past, moving forward can become easy
because He will permeate your PRESENT and future giving you His Hope,
His Help, and His healing. Thank you Jesus!
“This is what the LORD says— he who
made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, "Forget
the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new
thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in
the desert and streams in the wasteland.”-
Isaiah 43:16, 18-19
The same Lord who parted the red sea to
make ground so the Israelites can escape and the same Lord who healed
the leper with His compassionate healing touch and words, wants to be
your Jehovah Rophe, the Lord my Healer. He wants to take your past and
give you a new PRESENT. It can happen this year of 2018!
Jesus loves you so much and wants to be the Lord of your
past and move you forward. No matter what your past looks like,
'he
who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters'
can make a way in the desert areas of your life and streams in areas you
see as a wasteland. Yes, He can friend! Jesus healed the wounds of the leper and
delivered him from his past. He can do the same for you.
You don't have leprosy but you may have a stigma of things that happened
to you that brings you torment; you maybe feeling yucky on the inside
because of past things you are haunted by; you may have been in
perpetual sin over and over that your conscience has become
desensitized, etc. Now you cannot wash that past and identity away
because the past sticks like glue to you just as the leper
could not wash away his leprosy. You want to forget the past but the
past won't let you forget.
In different situations, all those scenarios described me at one point
or another. They could be describing you too.
But the Good News is you can give up on yourself and
give in to the Savior who wants to become the Lord of your past so you
don't have to live in the past anymore, no you don't!
Whatever happened in 2017 or before, bring it before Jesus. Bring all
your pain, guilt, suffering, shortcomings, stigmas before the cross of
Christ.
Jesus who had compassion on the leper, will also have compassion on you!
Jesus who touched the man to bring restoration in his
life, will bring restoration to your life. Jesus who said to the leper,
'I am willing' will say to you 'I am willing' if you are willing to come
before Jesus on your knees begging Jesus in your pain, suffering, torment, etc as the leper did.
Then, as Jesus' touch and words healed the leper and cured him, Jesus
can cure you too.
Yes, He can friend, Oh yes He can! Come as you are and
find grace in time of need! He will show you His mercy and grace
exhibited by His wonderful compassion to you just as you are. So come to
the throne of grace and find help in time of need. He is Mighty to Save!
Friends, each of you has a past and identity; otherwise you won’t be in
the PRESENT. You know the skeletons from your past. You know the deep
hurts and scars that are hidden deep inside. You know the times of
rejection, ridicule, etc you may have faced. Many of you may still be
carrying them with you as heavy baggage. It will not go away on its own
but you can definitely find healing from your past and be set free once
you start dealing with what happened and not hesitate to receive the
help needed. Jesus wants you to come to Him as you are and He will not
turn you away. He wants to clean out your past for you just as He made
the leper clean. Yes, He does friend! Come as you are and receive your
PRESENT in Christ.
The man with leprosy was determined to receive help and did not let his
past stop him nor 'what other people might think of him' and received
healing! You do not have to let your past stop you
from receiving the help the Lord wants to give you right now! You should
not think to yourself, 'what will my family and friends think of me if I
give my life to the Lord Jesus Christ'. No, don't think that but come to
Jesus as you are. He will help you. Thank you Jesus!
It won't be easy and there could be a lot of
inner turmoil and pain but when you pour out your heart to the Lord
showing him everything that has caused the wounds and scars you are
dealing with and ask Jesus to make you clean as the leper showed himself
to Jesus and asked Jesus to make him clean and was healed, so will you
be in God's perfect timing. Thank you Jesus!
The leper revealed his past to Jesus what was causing
torment! You need to do the same and then leave it in the hands of the
Lord Jesus for hope, help, and healing.
When you pray to the Lord listen to what He has
to tell you through His Word, His Spirit, and His Church remembering
that whatever He tells you will never contradict His Word.
Just as Jesus reached out to the man, touched him and spoke to him
being willing to make him clean, Jesus wants to reach out to you, touch
you in every area of your life, and speak to you making you clean.
Whether you have experienced any
kind of abuse, a relational break-up, a family-dysfunction, guilt over
sins of the past, death in the family, loss of a job, etc because of
mistakes of the past, Jesus is willing to reach out to you with His
Loving Hands, touch you with his healing love. Take the help He is
offering you. He loves you so much.
I don't usually recommend movies during these
devotionals but I highly recommend the movie: 'The Sin Eater'
Each of you knows what the Lord may want you to do to deal with what you
are facing. Don't let your past or what other people will think about
you stop you from receiving your healing. Just because you may have had
bad experiences in the past and they hurt you so badly, don't let that
govern your PRESENT
and future.
One example is relationships. If you have ever
experienced a bad-break up, it would be so easy to just give up and not
be in a relationship with anyone else fearing you may get hurt all over
again. But don't let the other person who broke up with you have a hold
on your life preventing you from enjoying life again. Depend on the Lord
to send that right person your way. I know He would because He created
you, you are special in His sight and He knows that special one out
there for you who you can spend the rest of your life with. I speak from
experience.
Come as you are and receive cleansing for all your sins. Give your
past to the Lord
Jesus and be healed! Be healed and cleaned by the Lord as you turn to
Him!
Whatever you are facing with, take the first step and bring it to the
Lord as the man with leprosy did so you can find
healing in Jesus' Name! His love can enter everyone now and make them
clean. Yes, it can friend! Amen!
No matter who we are whether rich or poor, educated or uneducated,
male or female, whatever our ethnicity, etc we are all in the same boat
when it comes to the deadly virus that is more than a pandemic that
started in the past. It has invaded all of humanity making us so
unclean. This virus has trapped us and is driven by Satan himself.
He wants to take us where he wants to go and where he wants to be which
will eventually end up in Hell. Sin started in the past and all the
problems we face is because of the sin of the past which continues to affect humanity.
The leper became an outcast to the people around him because of his past condition but Jesus intervened to give Him new life. Now,
friend all humanity is an outcast before the Lord because of this deadly
virus. You see friend because of sin, we have been an outcast to God
because God in His Holiness cannot allow sin to enter into His presence
of Heaven.
So, God became the Initiator to save us from this bondage of the past since we cannot save
ourselves from this sin. As Jesus went to save the leper from his
condition, God also sent Jesus to save humanity from its condition of
sin.
Jesus Christ went to the cross, shed His precious cleansing blood by
dying on the cross for our sin, was buried, and came back to life on the
third day to save. Now friend, we have an antidote to clean us of this
deadly virus known as sin. The antidote is the precious cleansing blood
of Jesus that can wash away all our sin.
However friend, Jesus won't force His antidote for us to take just as
Jesus did not force the leper to come to Him. The leper chose to come to
Jesus in His un-cleanliness, fall on his knees, and beg Jesus for
healing and Jesus took care of the rest. Jesus wants
to do the same for us. When Jesus died on the cross, I believe Jesus
chose humanity to come to Him.
Now, it is up to you and me friend to
turn our lives over to Jesus knowing Salvation is by grace through faith
and not of any good works that we can boast.
When we come to Jesus, we have to acknowledge our own short comings
before a Holy God, fall on our knees, and beg Jesus to cleanse us and
make us Holy by His precious blood. Just as Jesus intervened
compassionately by His grace and mercy to heal the leper and make him
clean, Jesus wants to do the same for you in your sin condition. That is
so exciting to know so come as you are and find your PRESENT in Christ
alone. Thank you Jesus!
Friend, we can be set free from the past by the Lord and now is the time of Salvation.
You are loved so much and Jesus can redeem
wherever or whatever you have messed up. His way will be the best way!
Come to Jesus as you are knowing He loves you so much and has a plan for
your life. You can be clean no matter what you have done! You are never
out of His love and never out of His reach. You will find your true
PRESENT
in Jesus!
May you receive healing in the Arms of our loving Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ now
and forever who wants you to forget the past and find your PRESENT in
His precious Arms of Love as He wants to be the Lord of the past and the
Lord of your PRESENT 2018.
Freedom From Your Past (Read
Philippians 3:12-21)
By Ramesh C. Reddy
Having trouble with your PAST?
Don't know how long it will last?
It's eating you up like a bomb's blast?
Cause missed opportunities coming to you to haunt,
Making you hurt and daunt.
No way to keep count?
ANSWER AWAITS, you can in life mount.
(Matt 11:28-30)
You cant look back (Philippians 3:13-14)
Cause your self-esteem will lack. (John 14:1)
Life ain't over, though you are under attack (Ephesians
6:11)
And on the wrong track. (Isaiah 30:21)
You think though it is too late (Matt 19:26)
Because you have messed up each date( day ) (Psalm
50:15)
May make you, yourself hate. (Isaiah 43:1-4)
That is not your fate. (Romans 8:28)
Christ is the Gate! (John 10:9)
Will deliver you from your broken state. (Luke
4:18-19)
Gotta walk by Faith (Hebrews 11:1)
And upon him wait. (Isaiah 40:31)
Jesus has your best interests in mind. (Romans
8:28)
Depending on Him and His Word, will us remind. (Col
3:16)
Loves you so much, for you died on the pole ( Cross )
(1 Cor 15:3)
Please give him your heart and lets do our
role. (Psalm 37:4)
Wonderful to know, each day his Blessings and Mercies are new.
How many situations in the past we blew.
(Psa 103:17 & Gal
2:20)
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a
new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way
in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”-(Isaiah 43:18-19, NIV)
"Present Reveals Eternal Savior's Emancipation Now Today!
(P.R.E.S.E.N.T)"What will your P.R.E.S.E.N.T look like in 2018?"
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you remember everything. You remember the time the man with
leprosy came to you, fell on his knees, and begged you to make him
clean. You were filled with so much compassion and you reached out your
hand and touched the man who was seen as diseased and you were willing
to make him clean and healed him by saying the words he needed to hear.
Thank you so much Jesus. Thank you so much for your love. Lord, you know
the wounds and scars each of us face from our past or even the present.
You know Lord what it has done to us on the inside and many times on the
outside. Lord when the pain is too much it is so easy to try to
forget it by focusing our minds on other things so we do not have to
deal with it. That won't help us in the long run. But, I know Lord you
can heal each person who is faced with hurts when they come to you.
You can clean us of our sins and make us pure again no matter what we
have done or faced with. Oh Lord, we need that cleansing in our lives.
There are those right now Lord who need to feel clean but their guilt
has a hold on them. Their identity is found in their guilt, pain,
brokenness, torment, etc. Please Oh Lord come and break that guilt,
brokenness, pain, torment, etc. Please Oh Lord, help them to hold on to
you. Let them know they are loved and can start over again as you gave
the leper new life. Thank you Jesus. Please Jesus reach out to the one
who is hurting and touch them with your love and power. Provide them the
means to get the healing you want for their lives. Thank you Jesus so
much. Please Lord help them not to let their past influence them from
getting the help they need. You know how they can receive that help.
Please make it clear to them. Thank you so much Jesus. Use your children
to bring healing to others within your family and outside your family so
one day they can come into your family. Thank you so much Jesus.
Help us Oh God of our Salvation for the glory of your name. Help us that
we will always find our identity in you. Thank you so much Jesus! Please
deliver us and provide us healing for your name's sake. We are sinners
in need of a Savior. Our sin has separated us from you and has made us
broken and shattered. Only your love and forgiveness can restore us by
the cleansing blood you shed on the cross of Calvary and coming back to
life on the third day to save us. So, we come to you as we are and ask
you to come into our heart and make our heart your home cleansing all
the areas of our lives that need your cleansing. Thank you Jesus for
being our Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you that you have heard our
prayers and answered us. Thank you that we belong to you and can find
our PRESENT in you. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
Lord Jesus, You are my all in all. You are my Prince of Peace,
Rock, Savior, and Friend. You are my Holy Father guiding me through to live a
life of righteousness, holy righteousness. Oh God, I need you more than ever. I
need to feel your hands around me holding me tight. I need your love to surround
me so that you can glow in my life. Help me please Jesus. I desire in your
presence. Thank you for guiding me to live a life of righteousness. Oh God you
love me more than ever. You hear my voice when I cry out to you. When I seek
your face, you fill me up. You are my all in all. Thank you Jesus so much for
your help no matter what I face, your grace is available and you take my case.
Thank you for hearing us and answering us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! AMEN!
(Most of the prayer is from a vineyard song called “All in All”)
If you would like to invite Jesus Christ into your heart and make Him a
daily part of your life, you can this very moment. You will never be
alone. You can claim God's promises for you in the Bible and see them
come true, before your eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to
wait for a special time to come to the Lord. You can come right now as
you pray the prayer below, meaning it in your heart.
Prayer:
God I am a sinner. I am invaded by this deadliest virus. Many times I
feel so guilty and yucky inside. I need forgiveness. I am so sorry for
my sins. I have not obeyed you with my whole heart! I have gone my own
way and done my own things. I struggle with sin. I need you Jesus
in my life so I can receive forgiveness and a new beginning. In the
process, I can forgive others as you help me to. Thank you so much
Jesus. I accept the antidote you have sent me. I believe Jesus you died
for me and your cleansing blood will cleanse me from all my sins. You
came back to life to save me. Thank you God I am set free, free from the
bondage of sin. Hear my cry Oh Lord. I accept you Jesus into my heart. I
make you my Lord and Personal Savior of my life. Thank you Father God
for giving me Salvation. Thank you Jesus for coming into my heart and
making my heart your home. Thank you for living in me Jesus and I will
live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. Thank you
for being my Lord and personal Savior! I can live a life of peace with
you on my side. Thank you that you have heard my prayer and answered me!
In your Name I Pray Jesus! AMEN!
No matter what you feel in your heart, know that Jesus has come in
and resides with you! You are not alone! To make your walk strong with
the Lord, spend time in prayer talking to Him as you would to a friend.
You don’t need special words to talk to the Lord. Spend time in His Word
reading Psalms and turning them into prayer. Next allow God to heal you
and speak to you through the Gospel of John or Gospel of Mark before
moving on to other Books of the Bible! Slowly, let the Lord show you to
which Scriptures He wants you to go to next. It is also important to be
part of a body of believers to help you grow in the faith. Find a Bible
believing church that preaches the Word of God from Genesis to
Revelation proclaiming Jesus Christ our crucified and risen Lord who
brings us hope, healing, and help!
No matter who you are, it is not ever too late
to join a Bible-believing church or a college fellowship. I highly
encourage each of you to come to Small Group on Friday
nights at 7:00 p.m. and Oakland International Fellowship on Sunday
mornings at 9:00 a.m. for prayer, 11:30 a.m. for worship, 10:00 a.m. for
Sunday School, and 12:30 p.m. for fellowship lunch.
May the Lord's presence and peace fill you with His love now and
forever! 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!
Feel free to email
me at
reddy4hisglory@gmail.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
412-641-9426
"This is my
work and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work
within me." (Colossians 1:29, TLB)