Editors note: This devotional is taken from the archives of Gospel of Mark, chapter 5.

Quiet Times (Psalm  20, Proverbs 20, and Mark 5:21)

“When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake.” (Mark 5:21, NIV)

Observations:

I asked myself who are the characters involved.

I asked myself what Jesus did.

Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake.

I asked myself what the large crowd did.

A large crowd gathered around Jesus while he was by the lake.

Interpretation:

I asked myself why a large crowd gathered.

The news must have reached the people that made up the large crowd about Jesus’ miracle in Gerasdenes. Now they wanted to see Jesus in person. It would not surprise me if there were people there who wanted to experience Jesus’ healing in their own lives or to get to know Jesus. Because of the miracle Jesus did in the man’s life, Jesus had made an impact and aroused the curiosity of the crowd.

Implications:

I saw important implications for my own life. As I have come to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Personal Savior and asked Him to reign in my life, people around me have seen something different about me compared to those who did not know Jesus as their Lord and Personal Savior! This aroused their curiosity and they wanted to know more about Jesus. I learned that people can gather around me not because of what I can do but because of what the Lord has done through me.

One person last Summer of June 2005 was so interested when I told him how Jesus had healed me of my severe asthma that he wanted to know more about Jesus and what Christianity is about.

I praise the Lord that on June 29, 2005, I had the opportunity to meet with him. He was Hindu by background and I got to share with him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I had just got of work and felt like going home because I was so tired but felt I should call this person to see if he was still planning to meet. He told me that he was waiting for me at a church near campus.

When I met him I did not have a Bible on me or a writing utensil but prayed to the Lord to help me share the Gospel with him with what I had in front of me (3 folded newspapers and one pamphlet).

I put two newspapers together and shared with him how MAN and GOD were together in the beginning.

Then, I pulled the two newspapers apart and told him that is what sin had done to our relationship with GOD. Sin had separated MAN from GOD and now MAN and GOD were apart and there was a big chasm.

Now MAN tried to do everything he could to reach GOD by doing good works, etc but whatever MAN did he still could not reach GOD. All his good works were falling down the chasm. His good works were not providing a way to reach GOD. I told him that you can do 99 good things and one bad thing which will still separate you from GOD because GOD in His Holiness cannot allow sin to enter His presence.

Then I told him that is how religions of the world are. In all the religions of the world, people are trying to reach GOD by their good works. They think if I do this and that, it can give me access to GOD. I told him some think praying three times a day will make them right with GOD, others think worshipping idols will make them right with GOD but the bottom line is MAN made religion and everything still falls in the chasm. All our good works we do are like filthy rags to GOD, so that will not give us access to GOD.

So, I asked him if God should ask you why should I let you into Heaven what would your response be and to think about it.

I told him if your answer is the good works you think you do, that will not cut it and GOD knows that. Then, I mentioned to him because GOD knows MAN is trying to reach Him but cannot, GOD decided to take it upon Himself to provide the WAY to MAN. GOD loved MAN so much that He sent JESUS CHRIST into the world to come and save MAN when MAN turns to Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins.

I told him we do not get access to Heaven because of anything we do but because GOD decided to reach out to us in His mercy and grace through the promise of JESUS CHRIST. JESUS died on the cross for you and shed His cleansing blood to wash away all your sin so now when you come to JESUS CHRIST and ask Him to come into your heart, He will forgive you of all your sin and live in you and you can have access to GOD and heaven.

I told him when GOD asks me why should I let you into Heaven, my response would be not because of anything I have done GOD because whatever I do is not good enough for you GOD because you in your Holiness cannot allow sin to enter your presence but because I believe in what JESUS CHRIST did for me and am covered by JESUS and His precious blood, so when you see me, you see JESUS’ blood covering over me and JESUS in front of me, I can have access to you.

Then I told him when MAN and GOD were together and sin separated MAN and GOD, creating a huge chasm, GOD in His love for us provided JESUS CHRIST to become THE WAY to reach GOD.

Now, I took the 3^rd newspaper and the pamphlet and made a CROSS out of it and put it where the separation and the dark chasm existed.   I told him the CROSS became the BRIDGE for MAN to get across to reach GOD.

I took the 1^st paper and walked it on the CROSS to show him, MAN did not fall in the chasm anymore but was able to reach GOD when MAN decided to depend on what JESUS did for him. I emphasized JESUS CHRIST and Him alone to save us from our sin and reach GOD because of His grace. I told him JESUS CHRIST became GOD-INCARNATE to reach us.

I wanted to emphasize to him that it is by GRACE we are saved through FAITH and not of any good works that we should boast!

I want to share the bridge diagram  with you here which I did not have to share with him in animation format:

Being a Hindu, he told me that he believed there were many manifestations of God but they were still all gods and JESUS is a god to him. I told him, no, no, no!!! Religion is man made. I even told him that the word Christian came to identify ‘Followers of The Way’ easily. At Antioch, ‘Followers of The Way’ became known as Christians. They were Christians because they followed Christ.

Then, I told him JESUS said, “I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE; no one comes to the Father except through me.”

This means being a Hindu will not save you, being a Muslim will not save you, being a Buddhist will not save you, etc for only JESUS can save you.

He still had a lot of questions and I told him that I cannot explain everything to him but just as Jesus has answered my questions and doubts as I came to Him, He will answer yours too. I told him this I do know that JESUS is real to me.

I told him that I was Hindu by background and had severe asthma. I told him none of the Hindu idols could heal me. I told him my mom was a devout practicing Hindu until she gave her life to JESUS CHRIST after watching the Billy Graham Crusade in 1978. Then, our mom shared JESUS CHRIST with us and read Bible stories for us. I still was Hindu by background but I was learning about JESUS CHRIST. One day I said to myself if JESUS is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow as the Bible says then what JESUS did then, He could also do now. Since I had severe asthma, I wanted JESUS CHRIST in my life to heal me so I asked JESUS into my heart as my mom prayed with me.

I told him JESUS CHRIST is so real to me. Then, I told Him that I follow JESUS CHRIST because He is real. I also shared with him to remember just because I became a follower of JESUS did not mean I did not face any hardship or struggles anymore for I did face them. But, I told Him that JESUS is there to give me the strength and endurance to bear. He mentioned inspiration and I told him that JESUS gives His peace.

I told him JESUS is real and you can have JESUS in your life so one day you can meet GOD in Heaven. I told him the only other option is Hell and you do not want that. I told him it is exciting that you can meet JESUS face to face one day as you become His. I told him that I can pray with him right now and he can give his life to JESUS asking JESUS to come and live in him. I told him that I will pray and he can repeat after me.

I also told him about Christmas and Easter! JESUS came as GOD INCARNATE!  JESUS died for our sin and came back to life to save us!

I shared with him one Easter afternoon, I felt I should go online and open a counseling chat room. I told him a person came into the chat room and I prayed with her and she prayed with me and gave her life to JESUS CHRIST. Then, I told him it happened over the internet and I could not see the person at all like I see you so wondered about it. I then told him how I had received a letter in my mailbox from her. She wrote saying that she had become a Christian in a chat room I had created for counseling and that now because she became a Christian, her husband had come to know JESUS CHRIST too!

I wanted him to see that JESUS CHRIST is real. All the theological answers were not what made an impact on him but testimonies. After I shared with him, he asked me is it that simple to pray and then you become a Christian. I told him yes, when you ask JESUS to come into your heart, He will make His home in you.  Then, he told me he wanted JESUS in his heart.

Then, he asked, you don’t have to believe but just pray?

I said of course you have to BELIEVE. You do not pray asking JESUS to come into your heart if you do not BELIEVE in JESUS. I told him it is not like a mantra where you just say things for the sake of saying it. No, it does not work that way. Praying just words without belief becomes words if you do not believe what you are praying.

Then, he said I do not mind having JESUS in my heart for who does not want JESUS in their heart. JESUS is a god to me. I said no, no, no!!! JESUS cannot be a god to you. JESUS has to be the only WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE! JESUS has to be real in your life. The Bible says, you should not worship idols. You cannot follow JESUS and still worship idols. JESUS does not want you to worship what you create. JESUS is the CREATOR and we are the CREATED. We need to worship the CREATOR and not idols.

Then he says to me if I become a Christian, what happens back home when they find out I changed from Hindu religion to Christian?

I told him if JESUS is real to you, you will not care what people think. When you have JESUS in your life, He will become so real to you that you can stand up to your family and others because of your love for JESUS. I told him it will not be easy and I heard of Muslim families where the person who became a follower of Christ is thrown away from the house because they gave their life to JESUS. I said, but you know what, they gave up their family too because that is how real JESUS became to them. Lord, provided Christian families to take care of them. I told him the cost of following JESUS and it would not be easy. He understood it.

I told him when we die we can be with JESUS in Heaven and also see those who have given their lives to CHRIST when we see Heaven. He asked me how it can be if our bodies die down here. I told him that our bodies here do die and decompose but when JESUS CHRIST comes back, He will give all of us new bodies so we can be with Him in Heaven. He took it all in understanding.

I asked him again if he wanted to ask JESUS into his heart. He told me he still had doubts and was not sure about everything but said something profound: He said, if I believe in JESUS, He will take my doubts, build my faith for only He can.

I told him, yes, JESUS will help you grow in your faith. I reminded him I have been a Christian for 20 years and had my questions and doubts through the years but JESUS has helped me through them and he will help you too! I told Him Jesus still helps with me issues. He was now ready to accept JESUS into his life. PRAISE GOD!

I told him that I would pray and that he should repeat after me. He told me to go slow and not have long sentences. I said ok and prayed with him and he repeated after me, giving His life to JESUS CHRIST, the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.

I told him now ‘you are a Christian and one day will see JESUS face to face in Heaven.’

I told him he may feel something or may not feel anything after praying but not to go by feelings because JESUS promised not to leave us or forsake us. I told him JESUS will stay with you and not let you go. I told him he has the Holy Spirit in him. I told him there is partying in Heaven and they are rejoicing right now celebrating because you gave your life to JESUS CHRIST!. I told him the Bible says there is rejoicing! Thank you JESUS! I gave him a big hug and told him that he is now a brother in CHRIST.

I gave him some literature including a New Testament Bible and told him that I would get him more and plug him into an International Ministry through Allegheny Center Alliance Church, having someone call him soon since he lives close to the church there and know how the Lord has used ACAC in people's lives.

Instead of going there, I started taking him to Oakland International Fellowship where the Lord used people there to help him since they were internationally focused too!

I ask you now dear friend, will you gather before Jesus?

Dear friend, a large crowd gathered to see Jesus because of the impact Jesus made. A Hindu person seeking Jesus gathered, setting foot in a church because he heard about the impact Jesus made in my life. The result was him gathering before Jesus as I shared with him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Friend, you can too gather before Jesus and help your family and friends gather before Jesus as you make yourself available to Jesus.

Friend, Jesus used me as his vessel not because of my ability but because of my availability. I was praying to Jesus in my mind as I began talking to the person. It starts with gathering before Jesus, being taught by Him, and learning from Him through His Word, prayer, and His Spirit working in us and through us in different ways including allowing others in our lives to teach us.

It is our availability and not ability that the Lord is glad to use. So, please never think you cannot make an impact for the Kingdom of God! Every person who knows Jesus Christ as their Lord and Personal Savior can make an impact. An impact for Jesus is an impact. Doing a simple thing for our love of Jesus such as passing out a Gospel tract in Jesus Name’ can make a tremendous difference.

You don’t think so?

I did not think so too once until Jesus knew what I was thinking and answered my question for me.

Every Monday night outside the William Pitt Union facing Forbes Ave, a group of brothers from different churches pass out Gospel Tracts to students and non-students passing by to reach them with the love of Christ. Those who want to talk, they make themselves available.

After getting off work, I decided to sit on that side talking to friends of mine. Then, I decided to run to catch my bus but missed it. Our Lord had other plans and He intended to answer my question there.

I was thinking, do passing out Gospel Tracts really work?

Jesus answered my question right there after a few minutes. I was sharing all the styles of Evangelism I had learned, but one of them felt I was putting down what they were doing. I told him that I was not.

Another student who was passing out Gospel tracts asked me how he should witness to a Hindu. I told him why don’t we role play where I act the role of the Hindu and you can try to witness to me. We did that. In the role play, he asked me about my faith and then said here take this tract and read it. That’s all he did. He made himself available to give me a tract in our role play. He was young and was afraid he may say the wrong things to people but I assured him the Bible says not to let anyone think less of you because you are young! I told him you can spread the Gospel. I shared with him about Timothy and Paul. He said so I am little Timothy huh and I told him yeah you can look at it like that.

What does it have to do with anything!

It has everything to do with what happened that year at church. You see the Lord showed me on Monday, June 27, 05 that tracts given in the Name of Jesus do work. A person had received a Gospel tract close to Hillman Library and walked towards us and left. Then, he came back with questions wanting to know about Jesus. They called me to tell me that he was Hindu and that I should talk to him. I shared with him my testimony and he wanted to meet again to talk about Jesus. It is that meeting we had scheduled  where he became a follower of Christ.

It started with someone else giving him a tract first. We do not know how many links went by in his life but the final link is when he gave his life to Christ! All the links were important. He had gathered to hear me after he became curious about Jesus in my life.

Friend, you can make yourself available to as you gather with Jesus. What helps me a lot in campus ministry is my own time with Jesus spending time in His Word and prayer! Also, I have had opportunities to listen to countless of ministry programs, pastors of different churches, etc. We cannot truly be available for others if we are not available to gather before Jesus! It is His strength we need to work in us and through us so they see Jesus in us and decide to check Jesus out!

May you always find time to gather with Jesus and spend time with Him!

“Gather Around The Healing, Emancipating Redeemer!” (G.A.T.H.E.R)/”Will you gather before Jesus?”

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I love you so much. Thank you for loving me so much! We are sorry for our sin. Please forgive us and help us. Thank you Jesus for dying for my sin and coming back to life to save me! Thank you for it is my availability and willingness to love those around me on campus that you have used to change lives. Thank you for the mission you have put in my heart to counsel broken hearts with the love of Christ and to reach students with your love Oh Lord my Jesus, my Savior! There is none like you! I can search for all eternity long and find there is none like you. Only you can move the mountains and part the waters. You Oh Lord know what we face in our life. You Oh Lord know all about how much ability we have but you are excited to use us in our availability when we gather before you Jesus and learn from you. Help us to find time to spend with you Jesus in your Word and prayer. Let us not be legalistic in the time we spend but help us to focus on our quality time with you than the quantity for quantity means nothing to you if we are doing it just for the motions without our heart in it. Thank you Jesus there have been times I only spent 5 minutes quality time with you and you still taught me then and I learned from you. I thank you Lord the more time we have with you, the more we learn from you and we can share it with others too. We give our lives to you Jesus and ask you for your help. We acknowledge you as our Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you Jesus for being our Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you Jesus you have heard our prayers and answered us! 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. This is a similar to the prayer the person at church prayed.

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! Thank you Jesus that I am yours! 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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