“Wonderfully Emmanuel Lovingly Leads!” (W.E.L.L)

By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

June 25, 2008

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Observations:

I asked myself what did Jesus do after healing the deaf and mute man?

1. Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone.

2. Jesus commanded them more than once.

I asked myself what the outcome was?

But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it.

I asked myself why?

1. People were overwhelmed with amazement.

2. They said, “He has done everything well.”

3. They said, “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

In this same chapter, I had learned about Jesus not wanting to take credit for His actions. I also learned more about His is humility as I once again see Jesus’ humility. Jesus does not do things to be recognized. Still, Jesus gets recognized. My favorite is when the people said, “He has done everything well.”

Interpretation:

I asked myself the significance of that?

The people recognized wherever Jesus worked, Jesus did an excellent job. Everything Jesus did, Jesus did well. Now, they came to realize that He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak. That is amazing to know!

Implications:

I saw important implications for my own life. Whenever Jesus works in my life, He will work in my life well. As I turn to Him, I can be confident that He will do everything well as He has done in the past. Knowing Jesus is there for me and He does everything well should put a new perspective on my life. For I am in the Hands of my wonderful Lord and Personal Savior! Whether I am concerned regarding a career, academics, relationships, etc I can turn those concerns to the Lord and when He intervenes, everything will get done well. He makes everything beautiful in His time. In His time, I know all things will fall into place too. I need to wait on the Lord and let Him lead me and guide me.

I ask you now dear friend, what do you need done well in your life?

Dear friend, we can have a lot of things done well in our life but what matters the most is what others see you as doing well in line with the approval of the Lord. God approved what Jesus was doing and that was complemented by what those around Jesus were saying.

Can people around you say that you do things well?

Remember when they talked about Jesus it was about Jesus doing good things well. The focus is on the good that Jesus does.

We need to follow the example of Jesus and do things well that those around us will look at our lives and see that we do things well. Eventually, they will start to realize that there is something different about you and start asking questions.

If you are a follower of Christ and they come to find out that's why your life is so different, the credit will go to Jesus and people would want to know about Jesus too because of the transformational life they see in you.

We all can do a lot of things well but if what we do well is not in line with God's will, then it becomes futile.

Friend, to do things really well that has the seal of approval from the Lord, we need to have reverence and fear of the Lord for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. But even before that. we need to acknowledge that we are sinners in need of a Savior.

The Bible says all our good works we do well and other people see us as doing well are like filthy rags to the Lord without Christ in our lives. The good we do is only good in God's eyes when we have Christ residing in us because then it is the Holy Spirit that produces good fruit approved by the Lord.

For that to happen we need to acknowledge that we are sinners, confess and repent of our sins, believe in our heart that Jesus died for our sins to give us new life in Him, was buried, and came back to life on the 3rd day. Jesus did that to set you and me free from the bondage of sin. We need to do our part to receive what Jesus already did on the cross for us. Jesus paid the penalty for us while we were yet sinners.  Jesus wants to make us well.

More than anything, what I want to do well in life is living for the honor and glory of the Lord that my life would reflect the glory of the risen Lord.

If you really love Jesus and want Jesus to be part of your life, then what matters to Jesus will matter to you too.

No matter what is happening in our lives or around us, when we have Jesus, He will do everything well for us. This means even when we mess up and feel it is too late for something, the Lord can change the situation around. For our Lord has always done everything well and He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. What He did then, He can even do now!

I can speak from experience. I had severe asthma and felt at times I was going to die. I was so restricted in my diet, in my physical activity, and all I was doing. I also hated being on medication but in times of severe attacks I always had Vicks and an inhaler available. I heard about Jesus and what He had done in the days of old. So years ago, I said to myself the Bible says Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. If that is the case then what Jesus did in those days, He can still do now. I wanted healing from Jesus and gave my life to Jesus from being a Hindu by background.

What a change occurred in my life. First of all, I had given my life to the Lord on Feb 14, 85 and did not even know it was Valentine’s Day. I did not even know what Valentine’s Day was then. The Lord Jesus healed me completely and I was able to do things I never was able to do. I had faith as a child and I saw His miraculous work in my life.  Through the years, I have seen Jesus do everything well in my life.

Does that mean, I did not face any adversity, trials, and tribulations?

Of course not, for I did face them even as recently as couple of months ago when our beloved dad went to be with the Lord Jesus on Dec 17, 2007. But our Lord is so loving, helpful, kind, and merciful. He meets us where we are at when we cry out to Him. Jesus met me so many times in my pain. When I felt things could not get better and did not know how long it will be before the pain would subside, He filled it with His presence and love. Being able to spend time in prayer, reading the Bible, spending time with loved ones, and having cell group support from Oakland International Fellowship was so helpful. Especially, Pastor Hugo was there for our family during this crisis including Ryan, a Pitt medical student at the time and a dear brother in Christ.

In retrospect when we look back, we will see that whatever the Lord does in our lives, He will do everything well. I cannot say from a human perspective that what happened to my dad was something that went well but who am I to understand the mind of God. God gives and God takes away and we need the strength of the Lord in our lives.

Friend, if you are suffering right now, it may not seem that things will go well because of the suffering but I want you to know Jesus wants to be there for you in your pain. Yes, He does friend! He wants to make you well and wants you to wait upon Him and rest in Him and Him alone. Let Him comfort you and work in your life. For He alone can make everything work out for our good! Oh yes, He can friend! You and I need to continually believe that rather than focusing on the circumstances of life. Even through suffering, He will give us the strength to bear it. Yes, He will. Come to the Lord as you are.

Won’t you do that friend?

Jesus wants to be there for you. I am not going to say when we come to Jesus everything will be alright in our lives because Jesus never promised us that. Jesus even told the disciples, in this world they will face trials and tribulations but they should rejoice because Jesus has overcome the world and will be there to help them. He will be there to help us too and we should make that our prayer to be resting in the Lord. He will carry you friend no matter what you are facing. Yes, He will! He will give us strength and endurance through the pain to and make everything new in His time! Amen!

“Wonderfully Emmanuel Lovingly Leads!” (W.E.L.L)/"What do you need  done well in your life”?”

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for healing the deaf and mute man. Thank you so much for your humility and not doing things to get credit. Forgive us when we do things to get credit for ourselves rather than doing things to bring you honor and glory. We are sorry Lord and ask you for your help. Thank you so much for all that you do that people recognized that you do everything well. That is awesome to know Jesus. This means even now you can do everything well in our lives because you are the same yesterday, today, and forever more. Thank you so much Jesus. We rest in you! Help us Oh Lord God of our Salvation. Deliver us! Thank you that you do! I pray right now for the one who is hurting and feels like nothing is going well for them. You see what they are going through. Hear our prayers intervene in their lives Oh Lord. We intercede on their behalf and bring them before you. Touch them in your mighty love and take away their pains, scars, and wounds bringing your healing to them. Help them to rest in you Oh Lord. Thank you Lord Jesus. We entrust our time to thee. Thank you for your help. Thank you for the healing you bring in our lives. Help us to wait on you! Thank you so much Jesus! Thank you Jesus that you have heard our prayers and answered us! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!!

Make this your prayer. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking you need all the answers before coming to Christ. Let me just assure you though you may not have all the answers right now before coming to Jesus, He will answer them slowly. Yes, He will for I know our Redeemer will! Amen!

Prayer:
Jesus, I thank you for being the Bread of Life. You are the Living Bread of my life. Thank you for coming from Heaven and giving your life for the life of the world. You sacrificed yourself for humanity. Thank you Lord when we eat of you symbolically making you part of our life, digesting what you teach us by following you, we can be living Eternally, and the fruit that comes will reflect and resemble your life. I want that Father God. I want that Lord Jesus! I want that Holy Spirit! I know of a lot of people who partake of Holy Communion where the bread represents your body broken for their sin and the juice represents your blood shed for their sin. When we partake of Holy Communion, we are reminded that we are remembering you. I want to remember you always Lord Jesus. But for me to remember you always, I need to know you and acknowledge everything you said you are. So right now I acknowledge that you are my Lord and Personal Savior who died and rose again to give me life from sin. So right now, I come to you and say how sorry I am for my sin and living a life on my own. I repent of my sin and ask you to forgive me of my sin with your cleansing blood which I accept. Wash me and I will be clean from this infection of sin. Come Lord Jesus and please become part of my life as you live in me and I will live for you. I 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. I do need your Spirit to reside in me and work in me and through me so I surrender all that I am and will be to you. Whatever your will is for me, please give me the strength and willingness to bear it and rejoice in you. Thank you so much Jesus. I thank you Jesus for becoming my Lord and Personal Savior. I thank you Jesus you have heard my prayer and have answered me. I thank you that I am your child Oh God. I thank you for becoming my only Way to Eternal Life. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!