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Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must first deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. ( Matt. 16:24 )
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Press Your Luck!
Have you reached the stage in an area of your life,
where you desperately need an answer to prayer,
maybe even a miracle? Many times we are instructed
in scripture to wait patiently upon the Lord, but you
may not be able to wait patiently
anymore!
Although you know Gods in control and will
answer in His perfect timing doubts, and sometimes
fears still creep in, no matter how hard you try
to believe.
You begin to wonder if He is listening, or you wonder
if maybe you have an unforgiven sin in your life, maybe
you have prayed out of His will, or aren't worthy, etc.
Circumstances may not allow you to wait any longer!!
Maybe it's time to
Press Your Luck!
The fifth chapter of Mark gives two very different, yet
remarkable examples of people, who could wait no
longer for their miracle, so in their own unique ways
they in faith believing decided to
Press Their Luck!!
Beginning with Mark 5:21, we read how Jesus had just
crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, after
having healed a demon possessed man and was begged
to leave by the people.
After crossing the lake a crowd began to gather, as
was the case whenever Jesus was near. Out of the
crowd came a synagogue ruler, named Jarius. Seeing
Jesus, he fell at His feet and pleaded earnestly with
Him to come and heal his daughter. "My little daughter
is dying. Please, come and put your hands on her so that
she might live." So, Jesus went with him.
To complicate and compound things further, a woman
who had been subjected to an issue of bleeding for
twelve years, and had suffered under the care of many
doctors, and had spent all she had, was desperate for
her miracle. She could wait no longer so she decided in
faith believing to
Press Her Luck!
She had heard about Jesus and pressed her way through
the crowd. When she came up behind Him in the crowd,
she reached up and touched His garment, because she
thought, " If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed."
When she did so, immediately her bleeding was stopped,
and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from Him
and He asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
The woman came and fell down at His feet trembling with
fear, and told Him the whole story. He said to her, "Daughter,
your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from
your suffering!"
Meantime, poor Jarius is waiting patiently as His
daughter is dying and he has to wait on Jesus to come
and heal her! No where do we read that he lost faith, or
patience, or starting murmuring, or complaining.
While Jesus was still speaking, some of the men from
the house of Jarius showed up to let him know Jesus
wouldn't be needed as his daughter had died. They said,
"Why bother the teacher anymore?" Ignoring what they said,
Jesus told Jarius, " Don't be afraid; Just believe." How hard
but reassuring that had to be to follow!
Many of have us would have been tempted to get our eyes,
thoughts, and faith off Jesus, and concentrate on how
things looked and felt. NOT Jarius!! He continued to follow
and believe Jesus. He along with Peter, James, and John
were the only ones Jesus allowed to follow Him.
When they arrived at the house of Jarius, Jesus saw and
heard a commotion with people crying and wailing loudly!
Jesus went to them and said, "Why all this commotion
and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep!" But
they laughed at Him.
It's real easy to be amazed and offended at how many
times people laughed at, mocked, scorned, and rejected
Jesus, or begged Him to leave - even after He performed
miracles - Until the realization sinks in that it's still
happening all around us, and even in our lives!
After Jesus put them all out, He took Jarius and the
child's mother and the disciples to where the child was
lying. He took her by the hand and said to her,
" Talitha koum!" , (which means "Little girl, I say to you,
get up!")
Immediately, she stood up and walked around. They
were all completely astonished, even though they
all knew of His other miracles and were expecting one.
We are taught in scriptures that there is a time to
wait patiently, and a time to Seek More Earnestly! If
you're at the point where circumstances won't allow
you to wait any longer, maybe it's time
in faith believing to
Press Your Luck!!
Of course, all of us who know Jesus personally
know that with our Lord and Savior
there is No LUCK involved!
So Press in and
Keep the Faith!!
Love in Christ,
Evangelist Ken Godfrey Jr.
Your Cross Outreach Ministry
Bye 4 Now!
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