“As Jesus was getting
into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with
him. Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell
them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on
you." So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much
Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. (Mark 5:18-20,
NIV)
Observations:
I asked
myself what the actions of the demon-possessed man who was healed were.
-
The man who had been
demon-possessed begged to go with Jesus.
-
The man went away.
-
The man began to tell in the
Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him.
Interpretations:
Why did
the man beg to go with Jesus?
The man was demon-possessed! He used to be shackled in tombs and wander
the tombs. He was not properly dressed, could not be in one place in
peace, was mutilating himself, and not in his right mind. After seeing
Jesus, running to Jesus, and falling in front of Jesus to be healed, he
was healed. His gratitude is so much that he wants to leave his former
life behind and not to have anything to do with it.
Observations/Interpretations:
I asked myself what happened next.
The demon-possessed man who was healed did not go with Jesus but
went away.
I asked
myself why he went away.
He wanted to go so much with Jesus but went away not because he changed
his mind but because Jesus changed his mind. Jesus wanted him to share
with others how much the Lord did for him and showed him mercy, so in
obedience he went away.
I asked
myself why it is significant the man began to tell in the Decapolis how
much Jesus had done for him.
This is so significant because
what Jesus told him was to "Go home to your family
and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had
mercy on you." Without saying Lord, the man tells them how much
Jesus had done for him. Here we see that Jesus is acknowledged as Lord
by the man who was healed, so Jesus is given the credit. The man did not
limit himself to just one town but ten towns. He was so fired up about
Jesus being his Lord who had healed him that he went all out. It is very
well possible that his family was scattered through out the ten towns.
Here Jesus was alluding to the healed man that He was Lord including
those around him.
I asked
myself why Jesus wanted him to share with others what Jesus did for him
in his life.
Jesus wanted them to know that
what Jesus did for the man he could also do for the people of the town
when they seek the Lord. How true that is because Scripture states to
seek the Lord and He shall be found. Jesus was interested in the people
of the town and cared for them.
Observations:
I asked
myself what the cause-effect relationship was because of the man’s
actions.
Because the man began to tell in
the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, all the people were
amazed.
I asked
myself why that is significant.
The people had a first hand
account of how a demon-possessed man who was losing it was delivered by
the power of the Lord because the Lord chose to save him and have mercy
on him. That is so exciting to know! The man did not keep the
transformation in his life secret but proclaimed it to the Ten Towns of
the region to share his testimony so others could come to know about
Jesus and acknowledge Jesus’ presence in their lives.
Implications:
I saw important implications for
my own life here. I need to share with others my testimony of what Jesus
did in my life so others can come to know of Jesus! Just as the people
of the Decapolis were amazed, I know my testimony can amaze people too
because it shows how much the Lord has done for me and how much He had
mercy on me.
I realized my testimony can be
very powerful when shared with unbelievers just as the man’s testimony
was when he shared it in the Decapolis. It is not because I share it but
because of the power of the Lord working through the testimony to show
others His love, mercy, and grace.
This happened
one day. I was waiting for my bus outside the William Pitt Union, where they
sell sports items, with couple of my friends. One of my friends came to
me and told me that the person they were talking to was a Hindu and that
I should speak to him because I was from a Hindu background. I was taken
back because it was all of a sudden my friend came to me and told me to
evangelize to this person who had just received a tract and was
interested to know about Jesus.
First, I started telling him
that in all the religions people try to reach God but in Christianity,
God reached out to us by sending Jesus to us.
Then, I told him if God were to ask you why He should let you into
Heaven, what would your response be? Then, I proceeded to tell
him that we can do 99.9% good things and even 0.01% bad things and we
cannot get into Heaven because God in His Holiness cannot allow sin into
his presence. I wanted him to see that Jesus alone could give us access
to Heaven as we seek Jesus who God sent for us to reach us. I saw him
feel uneasy and felt I was not getting anywhere with him and making him
confused.
So, I finally shared with him my
testimony of what Jesus did in my life. I told him, "I was a Hindu too
from a Hindu background and had severe asthma. I said to myself if Jesus
is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow as the Bible says He is then
what Jesus did then, He could do now too. So, I gave my life to Jesus
and asked Jesus to heal me of my asthma. Jesus did heal me of my
asthma!"
When I shared my testimony with him about what Jesus did in my life, he
was so amazed. He was supposed to leave but stayed there and listened to
another person share with him the Gospel now. He had to later leave but
wanted to find a forum where he could come and discuss the Bible with
us. We gave him the Gospel of John and wanted him to read it and also
told him where we could meet again. He took our numbers and gave me his
cell number. He is so excited to meet with me in a church this
week to learn more about Jesus and Christianity. It is sharing my testimony just as the demon-possessed man
shared his testimony after his healing experience that amazed the crowds
and also amazed those around me who I shared with. It is the not words
that I shared but the power of the Lord working through those words that
drew their amazement as they saw the Lord’s work in my own life. This
was only part of the testimony that I shared with him and he was amazed
that he wanted to know more about Jesus. My entire testimony through
the years of how the Lord has been working in my life is way too long
but so exciting too!
I ask you
now dear friend, what do you do with your testimony?
Dear friend, Jesus loves you so
much and if you have come to know Jesus as your Lord and Personal
Savior, you have a testimony to share. Yes, you do friend! Just as Jesus
told the man to share what Jesus had done for him and the mercy Jesus
had on him, Jesus wants you to share your testimony too! Oh, yes He does
friend! He loves you so much friend and decided to work in your life for
a reason. You know, each of our testimony is unique and will not be the
same but how Jesus has worked in your life can be as powerful as how
Jesus worked in another person’s life. So, do not feel like your
testimony is dull and does not have monumental events to share. I
say that because some students have told me that their testimony does
not have exciting events happening to share. I tell them that's ok!
They do not have to be. Just seeing how you came to Jesus and how Christ
has been working in your life can be powerful enough. The key to
remember friend is BC and AD. Share with people how you were ‘Before
Christ’ and what has happened ‘After Decision’ for Christ.
You have a testimony friend and
I know you do because when Jesus touches a life and they belong to Him,
He lets you have a testimony so you can share it with others so they can
see the love of Jesus in their lives through your testimony.
If you do not know Jesus as your
Lord and Personal Savior, you can come to know Jesus as your Lord and
Personal Savior. Yes, you can friend! Now is the time of Salvation! The
man who was healed came to acknowledge Jesus as His Lord and shared
Jesus in Decapolis [Ten Towns]. He came to know Jesus because he saw
Jesus, ran to Jesus, and fell in front of Jesus in his sickness and sin.
Jesus had mercy on him and healed him. After being healed, the man still
sat with Jesus, became dressed, and in his right mind and wanted to go
with Jesus.
Jesus is the same yesterday,
today, and tomorrow forever more. Yes, He is friend and wants you to
come to know Him.
Won’t you
do that friend? You should come to Him because He is Lord and
wants to work in your life.
This
however does not mean a person who comes to know Jesus as their
Lord and Personal Savior has a life that is always peachy but you know
what?
Jesus will be with you, never
leave you nor forsake you. He will be your refuge and strength giving
you the strength to endure through life’s hardships. I know He will
because I have seen it in my own life. Jesus not only healed me but
saved me and brought me into His Kingdom and He wants to do that for you
too. Remember, He died for you too and shed His blood on the cross to
deliver you too! If you were the only one I know Jesus would have still
gone to the cross to save you so you can spend with Him in Eternity.
That is so exciting to know friend! I know it is exciting for me and I
want that for you too. Jesus is always thinking about you and is Lord of all.
However, He will not force himself to be part of your life. If Jesus
wanted people to come to Him that way, He could have come off the cross
after being crucified but He did not. He does not want people to believe
in Him out of fear but out of love.
So you can come to Him as you
are and let Him fill you with His loving presence. No matter where you
have been or what you have done, His love is for you, His blood is for
you, to clean you and make you white as freshly fallen snow. So come as
you are! Come to the cross and receive Jesus! Let Him be the Lord of
your life. I have and so can you!
I gotta tell somebody what Jesus
did for me! I want to tell everyone searching that indeed Messiah’s our
nurturing Yeshua!
May you be so excited with your
testimony that you praise the Lord and want to share with others as
Jesus gives you the opportunities. Let the Lord work in you and don't
force yourself and feel condemnation. Satan loves to condemn but our
Lord loves to convict our spirit in His loving way!
“Tell
Everyone Searching That Indeed Messiah’s Our Nurturing
Yeshua!”(T.E.S.T.I.M.O.N.Y)/”What do you do
with your testimony?”
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I heard what you do in other people’s lives. Thank you so
much for loving me and caring for me that you sent people into my life
to share your love. Help me Lord now to do that for others. Thank you
Jesus for the power of your love! Help me to give my testimony to reach
others. Thank you so much Jesus. And Lord, I pray right now for the one
that does not know you. I pray that they would come to know you Lord as
their Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you we can share your love with
others and that you have given me a mission of counseling broken hearts
with your love Oh Lord for life is worth nothing unless I use it to do
the work assigned by you Oh Lord Jesus Christ. We love you and thank you again for everything
you do for us. Thank you for healing the demon-possessed man and setting
him free. We believe you can do the same now for those who need all
kinds of healing and set people free for your Word Oh Lord says, that we
will know the Truth and the Truth shall set us free! Thank you so much
Jesus! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
Pray this
prayer if you want to come to Jesus Christ and let Him work in your
life.
Dear
Jesus, I do not know everything about you. I still have a lot of
questions but I heard how you heal people. I need your spiritual healing
and need you to transplant yourself into my life. I am so sorry
for my sin. My sin has separated me from you. There is nothing I can do
on my own to earn your forgiveness but you give it to me in your grace.
Thank you so much Jesus. I now come and say, I am so sorry for my all
sin. I confess to you my sin and repent of my sin. Help me please Jesus
and transform my life in your timing. Please forgive me of my sin and
cleanse me with your cleansing blood. Wash me and I will be whiter than
snow. Thank you so much Jesus. Please come into my heart Jesus and make
my heart your home. Live in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve
you the rest of the days of my life. Thank you Jesus for coming into my
heart and making my heart your home! Thank you Jesus for living in me
and helping me to live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my
life! Thank you for your forgiveness and grace. I gotta tell somebody
what you did for me Jesus. Before I even do that, I acknowledge you as
my Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you Jesus for being my Lord and
Personal Savior! Thank you Jesus you have heard my prayer and answered
me! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
Friend you may feel something
or may not feeling anything but do not go by your feelings. When you ask
Jesus to come into your life, He will and does. He will take over from
here as you depend on the Lord and let Him work in you and through you!
This is exciting friend! May each one that came to know Jesus be filled
with His Holy Spirit forever more and those that know Jesus come to know
Him more and more! Amen!
Get yourself involved in a campus Bible study,
fellowship, and most of all find a Bible believing church and be involved
to grow in your Christian walk with the Lord. They all need to be
supplements for your own precious time with the Lord in prayer and
meditating on His Word. If you need a Bible, please let me know!
As the movie DaVinci Code opens across the theaters
this May 19, 2006, which speaks against the church and most importantly
degrades the Name of Jesus Christ, we need to make ourselves available to
speak the truth to the falsity presented in the movie and the novel. If you
plan to watch the movie or have read the book and have questions or your
faith seems to be shaken, please email me or give me a call at 412-720-4579
so we can discuss the false claims in the book that are presented as fact
even though the book itself and the movie is presented as fiction. May the
Lord bless you and guide you!
If you need anyone to talk to, pray
with, or study the Bible with this Spring or Summer of 2006, you can email
me at reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com or call me at 412-720-4579.
Please do not hesitate. One-one Bible studies
can be so powerful to because the Holy Spirit is still in the
midst.
"This is my work and I can do it
only because Christ's mighty energy is at work within me." (Colossians
1:29, TLB)
Love in Christ,
Ramesh
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