“Realize Everyday Lord’s Aspirations Totally Involve Our Nurture So He Invites People” (R.E.L.A.T.I.O.N.S.H.I.P)

By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

March 01, 2008

Editors Note: The devotional has a background song by Vineyard Music called 'Draw Me Close' which can be heard if you use Internet Explorer.

Observations:
I asked myself the reasons Jesus appointed the twelve:

1. That they might be with Him.
2. That He might send them out to preach.
3. And to have power to heal sicknesses.
4. To cast out demons.

Interpretation/Application:
I asked myself the significance of reason 1?
We see that Jesus' heart was set on developing personal relationships with people. Jesus' main reason for appointing the twelve is 'that they might be with Him.'

This is very significant because I believe the entire ministry of Jesus is focused on personal relationships. Foremost, Jesus wanted the twelve to have a personal relationship with Him before they can do anything such as preaching, healing, etc. This is very exciting too because it shows Jesus taking the initiative. Jesus wanted to spend time with the twelve and train them in that time too.

It is wonderful to know that when Jesus calls us to be His, it is not just so we can have Salvation but for a much bigger picture. Jesus wants us to be with Him. He wants us to be wanted and loved. Being with Jesus and learning from Him is the best experience any of us can have. We should not let anything crowd out our times with the Lord whether it be sleep, studies, jobs, activities, relationships, etc. Jesus knew the hectic schedule of his disciples too, for each of them had a profession to make their living. Jesus took them to a mountainside where I suppose it would be a quiet place that they might be with him.

A relationship with Him is what Jesus desires for each one of us. Without that personal relationship with Christ, everything we do in life will not have the same effect or meaning than it would with our personal relationship with Christ. He wants to spend time with you and He is the One that can empower us. He does not want us to ignore our studies, our jobs, our relationships, etc but He wants to be part of them and to help us through them. This will not happen unless we go to Him as the disciples went and were taught by Him.

Jesus was not just building relationships but was engaged in making disciples in action.

Observations/Interpretation:
What were the actions going to be and its significance?
The twelve with whom Jesus spent time with became disciples and they all were trained by the Master Himself:

1. To Preach to others

2. To Heal sickness

3. To Cast out demons

The preaching, healing, and casting of demons were the fruit that were to come as the disciples spent time with Jesus.

It is very interesting to know that Jesus trained the disciples and empowered them not only to meet peoples' spiritual needs (preaching) but also to meet people's physical and emotional needs (overcoming sicknesses/demon possession). Jesus cares for the whole of the person.

Application:
I saw important implications for my own life. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The main thing Jesus wants from me is that I might be with Him. This  is really exciting because Jesus wants to spend time with me. He loves me so much and wants me to develop a personal relationship with Him. Through that relationship, He wants to train me and make me His faithful worker so that I can go out to preach, heal, or do whatever He has called me to do!

It is significant for me to know that preaching and healing are not emphasized before spending time with Jesus even though they are very important too.

I ask you now dear friend what emphasis do you put on your  relationship with Jesus?   Dear friend, what I learned today should tell us that nothing is more important than spending time with the Master daily and learning from Him. Everything else should be secondary and flows from our relationship with Jesus.

Ministry or whatever we do in our life should be an out flowing of our relationship with the Lord. In life we need to be led, taught, and preached to by the Master Himself to be effective. I know I need to spend at the feet of Jesus and in His Word daily, praying and seeking Him if I want clear direction in life and to have strength to do what He calls me to do. It is not an easy process.

I am reminded of a passage from Luke 10:38-42 that addresses a relationship with Jesus:

Martha was so concerned about doing things for Jesus when she opened her door to Him but Mary wanted to sit at Jesus' feet and learn from Him. Jesus was telling Martha that Mary BEING WITH Jesus pleased Him more than Martha DOING THINGS FOR Jesus.

It was important for me to realize that I can do, do, and do so much FOR Jesus thinking I am pleasing Him but you know that actually would not please Jesus as we may think it does. What would please Jesus is that we do, do, do things WITH Jesus. There is a major difference doing things for someone and doing things with someone. Jesus wants to be a daily part of our lives and wants us to do things with Him. Jesus loves us so much and desires to spend time with us.

Won't you take time out of your 24 hr day schedule to spend with Jesus studying His Word, praying, and seeking Him?
Don’t base it on feelings because that’s what Satan loves to emphasize. Satan will make you feel like you are not in the mood to do it so why bother. Satan will also whisper since you are not in the mood to do it, it is not genuine time so why bother. Satan will also whisper that you are doing it as an obligation not because you want to so you should not do it. Don’t listen to those lies.

Even when we do not feel like spending time with the Lord, if we are faithful and obedient because Scripture states to meditate on His Word day and night and not to let His Word depart from us, He will bless us because we have been obedient.

"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."  (Joshua 1:8-9, NIV)

Even if Satan brings to your attention that you are doing it legalistically without your heart in it, ignore Satan’s whispers. As you spend time with the Lord even when you do not feel like it, Jesus will meet you there! I know He will because He has met me there! Do not go by feelings. The amount of time you spend should be between you and the Lord.

I hope you do not go by feelings when it comes to your relationship with Jesus! Feelings can be deceptive but hold on to Jesus and you will be holding on to hope!

What could be more important than giving your time to the One who created you, made you so special and knows what He wants for your life.

Your life will come to perspective as you will see the Lord's guidance in your life as you seek Him first. Ask Jesus to be part of your life and allow Him to lead you daily. You will draw so much strength and guidance from the Lord! One of my most exciting times in the morning is to open up the Bible and see what God wants to speak to me!  

May we give the Lord first place in our lives before everything and learn from Him. As we spend time with Him, may we have the passion and zeal to go out and preach the Gospel, be empowered to heal the sick,  cast out demons, or whatever He has empowered us to do!

As we rest in the arms of the Savior daily, He will give us the wisdom to be able to do whatever He asks us! Being empowered to heal does not just mean physical ailments but emotional ailments, etc. As important as preaching and healing were to Jesus, He always made spending time with God a priority. May we sacrifice our own pleasures that we might get time to spend with the Master daily. Our education and everything else will fall into perspective as we seek the Lord first.

Never feel you are inadequate to be used by the Lord for He can use you in mighty ways if you make yourself available to Him.

Do you know someone who needs to hear the Gospel?

Do you know someone who needs healing and restoration in their lives?

You be the one to give them the Gospel and bring healing and restoration in their lives. Take everything to the Lord in prayer even if you do not understand why things happen the way they do. We cannot understand everything but the Lord's wisdom and strength can give us endurance to get through! Amen!

Lord wants to REVIVE you and me friend as we spend our time with Him! Yes, He does! Thank you Jesus! Amen!

"I will instruct you and guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch your progress" says the Lord. (Psalm 32:8, TLB)

“Realize Everyday Lord’s Aspirations Totally Involve Our Nurture So He Invites People” (R.E.L.A.T.I.O.N.S.H.I.P)/"What emphasis do you put on your relationship with Jesus?"

Prayer: 
Dear Lord Jesus, we come to you now and thank you so much that you chose the disciples that they might be with you. It is exciting to know that you want to spend time with us. It is so easy to be caught up in the notion that we need to spend time with you but the fact of the matter is that you want to spend time with us if we give you the time. Thank you so much Jesus. During that time we thank you that you can train us and empower us, making us the way you want us to be as you also help us do what you want us to do. Forgive us when we do not give you first place in our lives. We are so sorry Lord. Thanks for always being there for us and we do rest in you Lord. Please make our times with you exciting even though at times you have to prune us and we do not feel like giving the time. I thank you for dying for our sins and coming back to life to save us. Thank you for loving us so much and always making time to hear us as we seek you. Thank you Lord that you never get tired of hearing from us but you have inclined your ears to listen to us. In Your Name We Pray Jesus praising you and thanking you for everything! Amen!

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 this prayer, meaning it in your heart.

Dear Jesus, thank you for healing the paralytic after forgiving his sins. You set him free to go home. I want to be free. I don’t know everything about you. I still have a lot of questions. What I do know is that you died on the cross for my sins. When it comes to sin, I am a paralytic Oh Lord. I am infected with this deadly disease known as sin. I am not perfect but a sinner who needs your cleansing blood to clean me of my sin everyday. I confess to you my sin and repent of my sin. I know you have forgiven me when you died on the cross. I want to accept that forgiveness. Thank you for shedding your cleansing precious blood for me. You were nailed to the cross because of me. It is like I actually held the hammer and pounded the nails so I could be free. Thank you for willingly dying for me Jesus. Thank you for taking the shame and pain for me. Thank you for doing that to set me free. I come to the cross and ask you for your healing in my life. Thank you for the power of your Blood to redeem humanity. Thank you for coming back to life to save us and give us Eternal Life as we yield to you. Your blood can heal us where we are. I love you Jesus. Even with my questions, I come to you now and accept you into my heart. Please Jesus come into my heart and make my heart your home. Give me a transfusion of change. Live in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. I thank you Jesus for coming into my heart and making my heart your home. Thank you for living in me Jesus. I acknowledge you now as my Lord and Personal Savior. Please be the Lord and Savior of my life. Thank you for being my Lord and Personal Savior Jesus and because of what you have done for me when God looks at me, He now sees me covered in your blood and His judgment passes over me. Thank you that you have heard my prayer and answered me. Thank you for being with me Lord. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit. Thank you Jesus I now belong to you and never need to be alone! You will always be with me and have given me Salvation.  In Your Name I Pray 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!