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“Hindrance Is Now Doubting Everlasting Redeemer's Support! (H.I.N.D.E.R.S)”

Ramesh C. Reddy
Publisher

SCRIPTURE:
"People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them." (Mark 10:13-16, NIV)

APPROACH QUESTION:
Who have you hindered in life?

OBSERVATIONS:
I asked myself what were the people doing?
People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them!

I asked myself what did the disciples do?
The disciples rebuked them!

I asked myself what was Jesus' reaction to the disciples actions?
1. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant.
2. Jesus said to them, "Let the children come to me."
3. Jesus said to them, "Do not hinder them."
4. Jesus said to them, "For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these."
5. Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
6. Jesus took the children in His arms.
7. Jesus put His hands on them and blessed them!

Today, I decided to look at  response 3.

INTERPRETATION:
I asked myself the significance of Jesus telling the disciples: 'Do not hinder them?'
The significance is in the fact that the disciples were directly responsible for the children not coming to Jesus because of the obstacles they were placing in the children's path. Jesus did not want them to place those obstacles but to allow the children to come to Him. This is based on the fact that Jesus said to the disciples: "For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

IMPLICATIONS:
I saw important implications for my own life. I learned that if I am not careful about my own actions, I can become an obstacle for others to come to Jesus. Those obstacles whatever form or shape they take can hinder others from coming to Jesus especially if people think, "If this is what a Christian is supposed to be like, I don't want any part of it." I know for I have been on the giving end and on the receiving end.

Because of my own actions, I had a roommate who did not want to have anything to do with Jesus. I regret that time and wish I could have turned back the hands of time. I hindered him from learning more about Jesus because I was so consumed with my own life and ministry that I terribly failed. I made living my life an obstacle for him to come to know about Jesus. His response was something to the effect: "If this is what a Christian is supposed to be about, I want to have nothing to do with it." In earlier stages, he was receptive to learning about Jesus but my actions hindered him.

In the past, there were also times where I was so badly hurt by Christians that I did not want to have anything to do with ministry and the church. This happened more than once. That really hindered my relationship with Jesus Christ because of what had happened. I started questioning God in my pain. I became a turtle in a shell who did not want to stick his head out. I was badly hurt granted that most of the hurt, I had brought upon myself due to my actions. Still, I lost the trust I had towards certain people and my relationship with the Lord was hurt because of certain Christians. God could have left me to my own but He did not. He intervened placing people in my life that I could trust to help me get through. Especially, the Lord Jesus used my mommy in my life to help me. Thank you Jesus.

Jesus also used Pastor Andrew Gill of New Hope Christian Community that took me through the book 'Ruthless Trust' by Brennan Manning that helped a lot. Recently, for the past year and a half, the Lord Jesus has been using Edwin Chan and Pastor Hugo Cheng of Pittsburgh Chinese Church Oakland and Oakland International Fellowship to help me through different types of pain and obstacles. It has not been easy at all. Sometimes the pain comes in like a knife of fire.

The bottom line is whether we realize it or not, we can become a stumbling block for others to come to Jesus because of our actions so we need to be very careful. Jesus even addressed not being a stumbling block to others earlier in this chapter.

We need the help of the Lord not to become a stumbling block to others.

I ask you now dear friend,  what hinders you from coming to Jesus?
Dear friend, I don't know what is hindering you from coming to Jesus but whatever it is, Jesus already knows about it and He will intervene just as He intervened in the children's lives when the disciples rebuked them from coming to Jesus. Jesus also intervened in my life multiple times. I would not be alive today if it were not for Jesus Christ who directly intervened in my life through different means. He will also intervene in your life not because you can offer Him something but because He loves you so much just as you are friend.

No matter where you have been, no matter what you have done, no matter how you have been perceived or treated, you are never out of His love and never out of His reach. He can reach you wherever you are whatever your spiritual, mental, or emotional state is because He loves you and created you. He knows the pain you go through; He knows how you have been hurt; He knows all your shortcomings and yet He waits to receive you and make you His very own.

He says to you, "I have called you by name. You are mine! You are precious and special in my sight!" (Isaiah 43)

That's how much He loves you and me so whatever is hindering you from coming to Jesus, lay it before Jesus and ask His help. He wants to help you and deliver you.

Is it doubt?
Then lay those doubts before the Lord.

Is it Christians?
Take it to the Lord in prayer for He will not abandon you. The obstacles will be there but He will get you through as He got me through time and time again. I still struggle and wrestle with different types of pain but the Good News is that Jesus can be the LORD OF MY PAST. He can be the Lord of your past too. Yes, He can friend.

Is it ambition?
There is no true ambition without the One who gives us life and makes ambition in our lives a reality. Ambition is not always bad but how we utilize it determines it's course.

Is it sin?
The unequivocal answer for this is 'YES'

It is sin that keeps us away from Jesus but Jesus absorbed all the sin upon Himself by shedding His blood on the cross of the Calvary. We are hindered from having a relationship with Jesus because of the sin around us but Jesus came to rescue us from this bondage and give us hope when all hope is gone. This hope begins with Jesus and ends with Jesus. We cannot save ourselves apart from the cross of Christ. For the Gospel of Jesus Christ rests on the redemptive work Jesus did on the cross to provide us Salvation and give us the Good News of God's unconditional grace upon our lives. We can learn more about it in the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is the Good News for all humanity. Jesus is the One who rescues the lost and saves them just as Jesus saved me.

People in their human frailties can put hindrances and obstacles in our lives but nothing is impossible for the Lord. Just as the Lord intervened to let the children come to Him, Jesus can intervene in your life too. Jesus intervened in my life and will in your life too. Jesus' ultimate intervention came by dying for the sins of humanity on the Cross of Calvary because of His love for us shown through His unconditional grace. Grace is unconditional because it is never dependent on us on what we do but on what Jesus has already done! Even when we give up, He loves us so much that He will not give up on us. Thank you Jesus. Praise the Lord!

Hope Arises!
By Ramesh C. Reddy

When all hope is gone
And you cannot carry on
Cause obstacles you hit
Breaking you bit by bit
With the Lord you can go with
The Savior's rescue is no myth
With Jesus, hope arises
With Jesus, love rises

Jesus will reach your scars
Breaking the prison bars
Give Him your emotional wars

Jesus will mend your heart
Giving you a fresh start
Give Him every broken part

Jesus will touch your soul
Making you whole
Give Him your life's goal

Jesus will heal your mind
Delivering you from any bind
Give Him all you find

For every broken heart
There is a crying soul
For every crying soul
There is an aching mind
For every aching mind
There is a lonely body

What do I see?
What do I hear?
What do I feel?
What do I say?

I see the tearful drops of pain
I hear the tearful drops of rain
I feel the hotness of your tears
I say Jesus will take your fears

When all hope is gone
And you cannot carry on
Cause obstacles you hit
Breaking you bit by bit
With the Lord you can go with
The Savior's rescue is no myth
With Jesus, hope arises
With Jesus, love rises

He will take your tears
He will take your fears
He will take your ears
To the Voice of Truth
To the Holy Spirit's Fruit

Cause He redeems you by His Blood
Cause He absorbs all of sin's flood
Carrying you by His Hand
To reach the Promised Land
Where all sin is banned

When all hope is gone
And you cannot carry on
Cause obstacles you hit
Breaking you bit by bit
With the Lord you can go with
The Savior's rescue is no myth
With Jesus, hope arises
With Jesus, love rises.
Amen!

May come to realize that you do not have to doubt the Savior's support! Amen!

"Hindrance Is Now Doubting Everlasting Redeemer's Support!" (H.I.N.D.E.R.S)/"What hinders you from coming to Jesus?"

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much for rescuing me time after time. All the pain I have been through, I could have fallen through the cracks but you made sure there was no earthquake to make me tumble over. Thank you so much Jesus. Thank you for putting the right people in my life to minister unto me. The pain is there but you help me bear. Thank you so much for not letting your disciples be a hindrance for the children to come to you. You intervened and took the children and blessed them. You took me in my fragility and blessed me. Help me not to be a hindrance to others faith because of my actions. Oh Lord, I need your help. Help Oh Lord. I pray for the one right now who is deeply wounded that only you alone can reach their scars, touch their soul, and heal their mind. Please Lord do that and help them to give them all to you. Thank you so much Jesus. Thank you that you hear and answer us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

You don't have to be locked away anymore for Christ is here to free you and give you peace to LIVE out your actions.

If you are reading this and do not know Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior and 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. You can invite the GREAT PHYSICIAN right now as you make this your prayer.

Dear Jesus, 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. I confess to you my sin and repent of my sin. I know you have forgiven me when you died on the cross and shed your blood. 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. 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 love using your Blood to redeem all humanity that comes to you. 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. I want 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 and Personal Savior! Thank you for saving me. 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.  Thank you that you have heard my prayer and answered me! 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)

No matter what you feel in your heart, know that Jesus has come in and resides with you! You are not alone! To make your walk strong with the Lord, spend time in prayer talking to Him as you would to a friend. You don’t need special words to talk to the Lord. Spend time in His Word reading Psalms and turning them into prayer. Next allow God to heal you and speak to you through the Gospel of John or Gospel of Mark before moving on to other Books of the Bible! Slowly, let the Lord show you to which Scriptures He wants you to go to next. It is also important to be part of a body of believers to help you grow in the faith. Find a Bible believing church that preaches the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation proclaiming Jesus Christ our crucified and risen Lord who brings us hope, healing, and help! But beware of churches who do believe in the Word of God completely but there is no freedom in Christ but legalism involved.

As a professional, it is not too late to join a church! As a student, it is not too late to join a fellowship on campus this  new year of 2010! May the Lord's presence and peace fill you with His love now and forever! 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!

Spend time in His word and let the Lord speak to you! Start out in the Gospel of John! You can also check out the Gospel of Mark which are the devotionals I have been going through.  Learn from Jesus through study and prayer. Also find yourself a church fellowship and a college fellowship you can be part of where you can be part of a community of believers to supplement your own walk with the Lord. Let it be a Bible-believing and Bible-breathing church! Believe in Bible LIVE Eternally!

Feel free to email me at reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com if you want to meet to study the Bible, pray with, talk about Spiritual issues or whatever is on your mind! My number is 412-641-9426

"This is my work and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work within me." (Colossians 1:29, TLB)

Express Your View

2010 DEVOTIONALS:

"What does who do you V.A.L.U.E. in life tell about you?" (Mon, April 05, 10, 9:54 a.m.) By Ramesh C. Reddy

"What does the C.R.O.S.S mean to you?" (Sat, April 03, 10, 11:49 a.m.) By Ramesh C. Reddy

John 12: "Will you be the offspring of the S.E.E.D cultivated?" (Mon, March 29, 10, 10:09 a.m.) By Ramesh C. Reddy

John 12:3: "What costly S.A.C.R.I.F.I.C.E will you make for Jesus remembering His stinky/dirty feet?" (Sat, March 27, 10, 11:06 a.m.) By Ramesh C. Reddy

Proverbs 23: "What  has  A.L.C.O.H.O.L done to you in life?" (March 20, 10, 9:17 a.m.) By Ramesh C. Reddy

Mark 10: "What do you do with an I.N.T.E.R.R.U.P.T.I.O.N in life?" (March 13, 10, 11:40 p.m.)

Mark 10:13: "Why S.H.A.R.E Jesus with others in life?" (March 09, 10, 4:59 a.m) By Ramesh C. Reddy

Mark 10:13: "Why B.R.I.N.G Doggy Poo to Jesus?" (March 08, 10, 9:01 a.m) By Ramesh C. Reddy

Mark 10: "When have you become an A.D.U.L.T.E.R.E.R in life and what now?" (Feb 24, 10, 9:31 a.m.) By Ramesh C. Reddy

Mark 10: "Why D.I.V.O.R.C.E the one you marry in life?" (Feb 22, 10, 12:15 p.m.) By Ramesh C. Reddy

Mark 10: "What do you do with what is P.E.R.M.I.T.T.E.D in your life?" (Feb 20, 10, 10:08 a.m.) By Ramesh C. Reddy

1 Corinthians 13: "How will you be someone's V.A.L.E.N.T.I.N.E using 16?" (Feb 13, 10,  12:16 p.m.) By Ramesh C. Reddy

Mark 10: "Who do you become an A.T.T.R.A.C.T.I.O.N to and why?" (Feb 05, 10, 9:43 a.m.) By Ramesh C. Reddy

Mark 9: "How can you be a S.A.L.T in someone's life today?" (Feb 04, 10, 11:27 a.m.) By Ramesh C. Reddy

Mark 9: "What do you help your friends E.S.C.A.P.E from?" (Feb 03, 10, 12:30 p.m.) By Ramesh C. Reddy

Mark 9: "Why bother with H.E.L.L in life?" (Feb 02, 10, 2:39 p.m.) By Ramesh C. Reddy

Mark 9: "When are you planning to cut your hand, foot, or eye to escape Hell?"" (Feb 01, 10, 1:41 p.m.) By Ramesh C. Reddy

 Mark 9: "Why heed Jesus' W.A.R.N.I.N.G in your life?" (Jan 30, 10, 12:41 p.m.) By Ramesh C. Reddy