By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

Thursday, October 16, 2008

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SCRIPTURE:
“Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.” (Mark 3:9-10, NIV)

Observations:
I asked myself what the cause-effect relationships here were!

Interpretations:
I asked myself why Jesus did not want to be crowded at this time?
I recall from verse 7 that Jesus withdrew to the lake with his disciples, away from the people who saw Him earlier heal the man with the shriveled hand at the synagogue. I believe Jesus wanted to have space alone with his disciples but with the crowds coming from all directions that was not possible anymore so Jesus tells his disciples to have a small boat ready for him so He could go on the water with his disciples. It is not because Jesus did not want to heal people with diseases anymore but needed that time with his disciples alone rather than being bombarded continuously. Jesus did withdraw to solitary places to pray alone as I recall from chapter 1. Now Jesus wants this time alone with the disciples.

Application:
I saw important implications for my own life. I love being there for people and meeting their spiritual needs and other needs as I can. Being in campus ministry for many years, I have surrounded myself with those I believed the Lord put upon my heart to reach. There have been months where I would work 40-80 hrs a week in ministry and loved it. There was a problem though and it interfered with my health. One time I was in bed for 96 hrs. I believe the Lord Jesus was telling me that I had to take care of myself and need space alone too if I want to minister effectively later. I cannot always be there for people 24-7 but need the time to rejuvenate myself with the power of the Holy Spirit as I seek the Lord in prayer and His Word. Space is the key in ministry too!

I ask you now dear friend what space do you give yourself?
Dear friend, you may give yourself a lot of space or a very little space to move around. The key is whether the space you give yourself affects you to the point that it endangers your relationship with the Lord and others. Jesus knew all about space and took time alone to be with the Father in solitude and also time to be with people all around Him. Jesus had boundary lines that He asked His disciples to help with. This did not mean He did not care for the crowds for He did. But, I believe Jesus was setting an example for us to follow. We need space alone to rejuvenate and learn from the Lord and take care of ourselves. Our Lord does not want us to get burned out but to serve Him in joy. The space we give ourselves determines that a lot. What we do even for the Lord should never crowd out our time with Him in solitude. What we do should never crowd out our time with our family. Finding space for ourselves is good but the former things should not be avoided. The space you give yourself can determine where your heart is and whether you permit always Christ’s entrance!

My friend and brother in Christ at work shared with me one day how much time spent with Jesus reading His Word and other Christian books rejuvenated him in that time of solitude.

The space we give ourselves should never crowd our time away from Jesus Christ, who wants to be our Lord and Personal Savior. He wants to be our Savior because we all are in need of a Savior. When sin marred the earth, we were separated from the Lord. But God in His love for us did not let that be forever. Instead, He sent Jesus Christ born of a Virgin Mary into this world to become our Redeemer. Christ came to redeem each one of us and we need to always make sure there is space in our heart for the Lord. Only He can deliver us and set us free from the bondage of sin and death. Only His forgiveness can give us true life.

May you give yourself the space you need that will permit always Christ’s entrance! Amen!

 “Space Permits Always Christ’s Entrance!” (S.P.A.C.E)/”What space do you give yourself?”

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I love you so much. Thank you Jesus for dying for our sin and coming back to life to save us! We are sorry for our sins and ask you for your forgiveness and your cleansing blood to wash us whiter than snow. Thank you Jesus! And Lord I want to thank you Jesus for teaching me today about having space. We turn this month of October over to you and ask you for your help to use the space we have for your honor and glory! Thank you Jesus! You Oh Lord love people and you spent a lot of time with them as they crowded to you. At the same time, you also set boundaries so you could have that solitude time with the Father. You also made time alone with your disciples. Help us Oh Lord never to let what we do for you crowd out our time with you. Help us not to let what we do crowd out our time with family, etc. We know Oh Lord that you want us to have space even in ministry. Help us not to feel guilty about it and feel we need to continuously do and do. Thank you Jesus! Thank you whatever you do, you have a reason for it and we can learn from you. I love you Jesus. We entrust our time to thee Oh Lord. Take us in into the Holy of Holies and teach us your ways. Help us as we rejuvenate to go out and be there for others. I thank you Jesus for your help. Thank you for hearing us and answering us. We give ourselves to you and say we are sorry for our sins and need your forgiveness. We acknowledge you as our Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you Jesus! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!!

ANALOGY OF INVITING PEOPLE TO THE GREAT PHYSICIAN:

We are like an ambulance taking sick people to the hospital. People are dying and there is an emergency because of an epidemic virus. The ambulance takes the initiative to go to the place people are dying and bring them to the hospital. They are not dead yet but there is no time to wait. The ambulance needs to get to the hospital for that virus to be treated. The virus has infected the mind, body, and soul spreading rapidly. You and I cannot do anything to heal our friends of this virus except be the AMBULANCE taking them to the HOSPITAL where the GREAT PHYSICIAN waits.

Once at the hospital, there is a GREAT PHYSICIAN that waits. The sick are gathered from all corners of the earth and come to this hospital.  This hospital is called CALVARY OF SALVATION and the EMERGENCY WARD is called GOLGOTHA.

The GREAT PHYSICIAN is not like other doctors who can only treat patients with  physical ailments but this GREAT PHYSICIAN is much more and knows He has to stay 72 HOURS for every dying person there to be healed.

He knows what He has to do! This GREAT PHYSICIAN knew that only His BLOOD can wipe away this epidemic VIRUS, so for you and me He went to the blood transfusion room where people were about to die. There He lay down on the bed  made of wood.

The surgeons walk into the room. They turn this GREAT PHYSICIAN on His back.  Instead of using an IV, a WHIP with sharp glass, etc is used to draw out the BLOOD from the GREAT PHYSICIAN'S back! It does not stop there but to elevate the head on the bed of wood, a CROWN OF THORNS is used which draws more BLOOD.

As the head is elevated, the GREAT PHYSICIAN's hands are stretched wide on the wooden bed. Then the feet are bound together. This is done for the BLOOD transfusion to begin. Instead of using an IV, NAILS and a HAMMER is used. The NAILS are pounded through the hands into the wooden bed with a HAMMER so the BLOOD flows and that BLOOD is saved. The NAILS are pounded through the feet into the wooden bed with a HAMMER so more BLOOD flows and that BLOOD is saved. As the BLOOD continues to flow from the GREAT PHYSICIAN's body, the GREAT PHYSICIAN flat lines. Then the surgeons insert a SPEAR into the heart to make sure all the BLOOD is out. All the BLOOD is out!

Now, the GREAT PHYSICIAN is moved into the JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA MORGUE being guarded by security.

Now the CALVARY OF SALVATION hospital has a BLOOD DONOR whose BLOOD can be used to save everyone there from this EPIDEMIC VIRUS. 

Those dying need to be taken there to receive the BLOOD transfusion that is available. However, the BLOOD will not be forced upon those dying! THE PUREST RED ANTIDOTE is only given to those that are willing to receive the BLOOD TRANSFUSION so they could LIVE.

All that accept the BLOOD are being CLEANSED of this EPIDEMIC VIRUS in their system that is infecting the mind, body, and soul.  This BLOOD goes into the dying person's mind, body, and soul and eats away at the virus cleaning them and making them pure. This VIRUS is known as SIN. The BLOOD is the PRECIOUS CLEANSING BLOOD OF THE GREAT PHYSICIAN, JESUS CHRIST.

The WOODEN BED is the CROSS OF CHRIST where the dying need to be led too.

72 HOURS LATER, there is a commotion at the JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA MORGUE. THE GREAT PHYSICIAN is not there anymore and the ANGELS that visit tell loved ones who came there, that THE GREAT PHYSICIAN IS ALIVE and will save all that come to Him.

It is true even to this day, for all that come to the HOSPITAL OF CALVARY come to realize that His CLEANSING BLOOD shed on the WOODEN BED (CROSS) will never run out. Anyone infected who wants to be healed of their sickness can accept what Jesus did for them and be covered in His precious CLEANSING BLOOD.

I have done that friend and know that at the foot of the cross where Jesus died shedding His precious cleansing blood for my sin and the sins of the world, I can find forgiveness and grace.

Thanks be to God that Christ's death on the cross was temporary to remove all His precious cleansing blood for our sake but after He was buried, Jesus came back to life to save.

To this day, all who call on the Name of the Lord will be saved when they acknowledge what Jesus Christ has done for them and what He can do for them.

Friend, Jesus loves you so much and if you were the only one living on earth, Jesus would have done the same for you. What I shared with you was an analogy but in real life it has happened. Jesus went to the cross for you and me and His precious cleansing blood was shed so you and I could have life. Jesus came back to life 72 hours later and is alive but His blood continues to heal people on every corner of the earth to those that accept Him.

You can invite the GREAT PHYSICIAN right now as you make this your prayer.

Dear Jesus, thank you for healing the paralytic after forgiving his sins. You set him free to go home. 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. 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 so I could be free. 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 Blood to redeem humanity. 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. 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.  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)