Observations/Interpretations:
I asked myself what did the man do?
The man could have easily been conditioned to accept his defeat in life living in the PAST but he did not. One day he found out about someone who loves others so much and who performs miracles. He took an active step hoping to receive help even with all the fears he may have stored up inside because of his PAST:

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 and begged Jesus, ‘If you are willing, you can make me clean.’

Observations/Interpretations:
I asked myself why the leper used the words, ‘If you are willing’!
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 from the PAST bad experiences he may have had. 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.

Jesus showed his compassion to the man who was sick and who wanted to be clean from his PAST. Jesus did not shun him but goes a step further and exhibits His compassion by the next action He takes 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 picture it being a contagious disease that is spread by touch. No one would even come close to him but now Jesus reached 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. For the man's emotional and psychological wounds from the PAST were very deep. He basically had lost the loving touch of a family member, a friend, etc. We were made to be in relationships with one another beyond relationships that are just romantic. There are three types of love: Agape, Phileo, and Eros. This man needed the Agape love and he had lost that because of his outcast status.  Yet, deep inside this man had to know even as an outcast to society that he was loved by One person who really mattered.  That is why he goes to Jesus. Jesus did not stop there by reaching out His hand but goes a step further which is evident by point 3.

Point 3: Jesus touched the man.
I believe when Jesus touched the man, at that point the man was healed spiritually, physically, emotionally, relationally, and mentally by the loving Hands of Jesus. Imagine how that would have made you feel if no one touched you because of your sickness and now Jesus touches you with His warmth of love. By touching the man in his sickness and disease, Jesus was letting him know that he is loved unconditionally as he is with all the baggage of the PAST: The man is loved with all his scars, with all his wounds, with all his puss, with all his shame, with all his sin. Jesus is letting the man feel and know that he is valued as a person regardless of his disease. Wow! That is awesome to know! 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 the community again because Jesus would help him become part of the community that he lost because of his PAST. This is evident by point 5.

Point 5: Jesus said, "Be clean!"
Immediately, the leprosy left him and he was cured!!! Praise God! Amen! He was instantly healed spiritually, physically, emotionally, relationally, and mentally from the PAST trauma he faced after a personal encounter with Jesus.

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. Thank you Jesus! There is a wonderful song by Bob Bennett called 'Lord of the Past' you can find on YouTube.

Implications:
I asked myself why is the man's actions significant and it's implications for my own life?
The man with leprosy did not let his PAST come in the way of receiving healing in the present and moving forward. It could have been easy for the man to have dwelled in the PAST and allowed his negative experiences and thinking to rule his life and given up. He did not but decided to take a risk and it paid off.

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! Yes, He does! I don't know His timings but I know He loves us and wants the best for us! As a Christian, I am not exempt from the pain of the PAST unless I turn it over to Jesus for Jesus is there to bring healing when we turn everything over to Him. When JESUS becomes the LORD OF THE PAST, moving forward can become easy with His hope, help, and healing because He will also permeate your present and future.

“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

Thank you Jesus for your own healing in my life and you do not want me to dwell in the PAST. You will take the Dragons of my life and defeat them by the power of Your love. Thank you so much Jesus! Amen!

There is a wonderful song called 'Power of Your Love' by Vineyard Music. You can find it on YouTube.

I ask you now dear friend, how are you dealing with your P.A.S.T in life?
Dear friend, a leper had a very, very, very bad PAST and he could have let that PAST hold him prisoner in the present because of his condition, how others treated him, his missed opportunities in life, etc but praise the Lord, he did not let his PAST hold him prisoner. Instead, he turned to his PAST over to the One who could bring help, hope, and healing. He was not disappointed!

You nor I have leprosy, but we all have baggage from the PAST. 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 did; PAST things others have done to you. You may have tried to get rid of your PAST but cannot wash it away because the PAST sticks like glue to you just as the leper could not wash away his leprosy. Oh that you want to forget the PAST but the PAST won't let you forget! It can be so easy for you and I to dwell in the mistakes of the PAST and live there especially when those mistakes have a hold on us or when others painful actions torment us.

I don't know what you are going through but this I know that 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.

Give up your PAST 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 the PAST bring it before Jesus. Bring all your pain, guilt, suffering, shortcomings, stigmas before the CROSS OF CHRIST. Let His blood heal you where you are.

A wonderful song by Carman called 'This Blood' is so powerful. I hope you get to hear it on YouTube.

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 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!

Friend, each of you has a PAST 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!

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!

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 of the PAST you are dealing with and ask Jesus to make you clean as the leper showed himself to Jesus and begged Jesus to make him clean, he was healed and so will you be in God's perfect timing.

The leper revealed his PAST to Jesus what was causing torment! You can do the same and 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. 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 so He can make you clean from the PAST. Oh yes, He can!

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

What He did then, He can even do now. The circumstances and situations maybe different but His compassion is the same.

Whether you have experienced a loss of a friend, 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 that stop you from experiencing what the Lord has for you in the here and now. Sadly, sometimes relationships come and go; sometimes friendships that we thought would be close become distant; sometimes things just go haywire but you don't have to live in the PAST.

When I was pursuing my relationship with Chandra, now my loving precious wife, I was afraid to be close to her and open my heart because of relational hurt from the PAST. I was especially afraid what if I fell in love with her and then the relationship breaks but Pastor Hugo Cheng of Oakland International Fellowship exhorted me and encouraged me not to be afraid to love.  He encouraged me to show love and affection towards Chandra and leave the results in the Lord's Hands. So, instead of letting my PAST keep me from moving forward, I chose to do what Pastor Hugo asked and pursued Chandra diligently with the counsel of Edwin & Marie with their prayers. I praise the Lord that I am now married to the most loving darling in the world.

Whatever you are facing with, bring it to the Lord as the man with leprosy did and you will find healing in Jesus' Name! His love can enter everyone now and make them clean. Yes, it can friend! Amen!

If you are reading this and struggling with your past, could it be Jesus is calling out to you to receive Him in all your pain?

Jesus wants to heal us of all our shortcomings, scars, shame, etc. Yes, He does friend. We can be set free from the PAST by the LORD and now is the time of Salvation.

Friend, you are loved so much and Jesus can redeem wherever 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. That is amazing to know!

Al Denson has an awesome song called, "Never Out of His Love, Never Out of His Reach"

May you receive healing in the Arms of our loving Lord and Savior now and forever who wants to be the LORD OF THE PAST in your life right now. Yes, He does so come as you are in this year of 2012.

Jesus gives you a promise: "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)

"Past Attack, Savior Trusting!"/"How are you dealing with your P.A.S.T in life?"

Please make this your prayer and let Jesus heal you as you are making it personal to you changing the us to me, etc.

Prayer: 
Dear Jesus, you remember everything. You remember the time the man with leprosy came to you 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. Thank you so much Jesus. Thank you so much for the power of 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. So, Lord come and be the LORD OF THE PAST. Come bring healing into our lives. Thank you so much Jesus. We trust you with our pain and thank you for healing in your wonderful time. Thank you for your perfect timing. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

"May my spoken words and unspoken thoughts be pleasing even to you, O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)

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 still 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!