Saturday, October 6, 2018
SOMEONE TOUCHED ME (What every minister should KNOW and what every believer should DO)
In Luke 8:46, Jesus declared, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me."
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There was such a large crowd of people around him that he was literally being pushed from side to side. It looked like a scene out of "The Walking Dead" with one big difference, they weren't there to "pick his brain". For these people had heard that he was a miracle worker and they wanted to be healed.
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At any rate, they may have felt, if they didn't get help right then, the chances were pretty good, that they would have to wait for the angels to stir the water, which was said to only happen once a year, at the pool of Bethesda. There was one major drawback though. You would have to physically be there, in Bethesda, and jump in the pool as the angels were stirring the water, or it wouldn't work.
.
Maybe this is the reason the people wanted to be among the first in line with this man, Jesus, who worked miracles. And as all of this heavenly commotion was taking place, Jesus looked up and said, "Someone touched me!"
.
Now, I'm sure those around him who heard what he said, thought, "What? Why did you say that? Look around! Everybody's touching you. Yet, he wasn't referring to the crowd, for after he said, "someone touched me" he said he knew that virtue had gone out of him. (Read the story - Luke 8:40-47)
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When Jesus wasn't ministering to people, he would often go away to pray.
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He did this because ministering to those in need would leave him physically weak. Yes, even Jesus suffered weakness for "he was in all points like we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15) and weakness is not a sin. In fact, God's strength is made perfect in weakness.
.
This is why many times an anointed man or woman of God will find themselves worn out after delivering a message or giving personal ministry. They find themselves depleted of strength. Then they will often go to a restaurant with some of the church folk, to get a cup of coffee or to enjoy a late night meal in an effort to rebuild that which was depleted. Yet, the downside to eating that late at night is unfortunate weight gain.
.
Samson shook himself to regain his strength but Jesus went away to pray and he is our example and our pattern for living. Jude, the brother of Jesus, told us in verse 20 of his letter, "building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost".
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The following is something every believer should do for those who have ministered to them the word and prayed for the sick.
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The people of God should always minister to the one ministering before and after he or she has ministered. For it is the power of agreement which will let God have his way in a service. And it is after they have ministered, usually when they are alone, that the devil will come and try to tempt the minister's flesh in their weakened state or try to place on them a spirit of discouragement.
.
As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelite's were winning the battle. But Moses' arms would get tired. And as soon as his arms came down to his side, they would start losing again.
.
But when Moses’ hands grew heavy, they decided to take a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one on each side, so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down (Exodus 17).
.
How many times has a prophet of God gotten sick and died and someone wanted to say that he must have had sin in his life? But most likely, the sin in his life belonged to those who were being ministered to because they would not give support to the prophet of God.
Yes, they have a responsibility to pray and obey God. But believers must do their part as well. Until Satan's head is crushed well under our feet. God bless you and godspeed!
.
There was such a large crowd of people around him that he was literally being pushed from side to side. It looked like a scene out of "The Walking Dead" with one big difference, they weren't there to "pick his brain". For these people had heard that he was a miracle worker and they wanted to be healed.
.
At any rate, they may have felt, if they didn't get help right then, the chances were pretty good, that they would have to wait for the angels to stir the water, which was said to only happen once a year, at the pool of Bethesda. There was one major drawback though. You would have to physically be there, in Bethesda, and jump in the pool as the angels were stirring the water, or it wouldn't work.
.
Maybe this is the reason the people wanted to be among the first in line with this man, Jesus, who worked miracles. And as all of this heavenly commotion was taking place, Jesus looked up and said, "Someone touched me!"
.
Now, I'm sure those around him who heard what he said, thought, "What? Why did you say that? Look around! Everybody's touching you. Yet, he wasn't referring to the crowd, for after he said, "someone touched me" he said he knew that virtue had gone out of him. (Read the story - Luke 8:40-47)
.
When Jesus wasn't ministering to people, he would often go away to pray.
.
He did this because ministering to those in need would leave him physically weak. Yes, even Jesus suffered weakness for "he was in all points like we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15) and weakness is not a sin. In fact, God's strength is made perfect in weakness.
.
This is why many times an anointed man or woman of God will find themselves worn out after delivering a message or giving personal ministry. They find themselves depleted of strength. Then they will often go to a restaurant with some of the church folk, to get a cup of coffee or to enjoy a late night meal in an effort to rebuild that which was depleted. Yet, the downside to eating that late at night is unfortunate weight gain.
.
Samson shook himself to regain his strength but Jesus went away to pray and he is our example and our pattern for living. Jude, the brother of Jesus, told us in verse 20 of his letter, "building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost".
.
The following is something every believer should do for those who have ministered to them the word and prayed for the sick.
.
The people of God should always minister to the one ministering before and after he or she has ministered. For it is the power of agreement which will let God have his way in a service. And it is after they have ministered, usually when they are alone, that the devil will come and try to tempt the minister's flesh in their weakened state or try to place on them a spirit of discouragement.
.
As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelite's were winning the battle. But Moses' arms would get tired. And as soon as his arms came down to his side, they would start losing again.
.
But when Moses’ hands grew heavy, they decided to take a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one on each side, so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down (Exodus 17).
.
How many times has a prophet of God gotten sick and died and someone wanted to say that he must have had sin in his life? But most likely, the sin in his life belonged to those who were being ministered to because they would not give support to the prophet of God.
Yes, they have a responsibility to pray and obey God. But believers must do their part as well. Until Satan's head is crushed well under our feet. God bless you and godspeed!
Friday, October 5, 2018
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Monday, October 1, 2018
Sunday, September 30, 2018
THE NIGHT EVIL CAME TO VISIT...
The family was living in Belton, Missouri at the time when my older brother and I became very ill. Mom called the doctor and dad placed us both in their bedroom at the end of the hallway to make it easier for the doctor to examine us both at the same time. And after he came and performed his examination, he informed our parents that we had a bad case of the chickenpox and that he was concerned for us because our fevers were high. And as he left, he told both of them that they should keep a very close eye on us over the next several days.
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It was later that evening, when our parents were sitting alone in the living room, that one of them looked up and saw a tall, dark, figure like a man start along the hallway, down toward their room where we were laying. And almost immediately after one saw it, the other saw the same figure and they both began to pray as they watched in horror and they asked God to quickly intervene.
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And before they had even finished praying, suddenly a figure much like the first one appeared, yet this one was white like light and it started quickly after the other.
..
Before the dark figure could reach us, the white figure quickly overtook it and they both disappeared. Soon after that, our fevers began to break and we were on the way to recovery.
.
I have thought about this story over the years and there is no doubt in my mind, had our parents not prayed, one or both of us might have perished. For that black figure was, no doubt, a spirit of infirmity that was sent to cause us great harm and that white figure was an angel who was sent as an answer to prayer and he quickly dispelled the evil that had visited our home that night.
..
It was later that evening, when our parents were sitting alone in the living room, that one of them looked up and saw a tall, dark, figure like a man start along the hallway, down toward their room where we were laying. And almost immediately after one saw it, the other saw the same figure and they both began to pray as they watched in horror and they asked God to quickly intervene.
.
And before they had even finished praying, suddenly a figure much like the first one appeared, yet this one was white like light and it started quickly after the other.
..
Before the dark figure could reach us, the white figure quickly overtook it and they both disappeared. Soon after that, our fevers began to break and we were on the way to recovery.
.
I have thought about this story over the years and there is no doubt in my mind, had our parents not prayed, one or both of us might have perished. For that black figure was, no doubt, a spirit of infirmity that was sent to cause us great harm and that white figure was an angel who was sent as an answer to prayer and he quickly dispelled the evil that had visited our home that night.
Psalm 91:10-12 "No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways."
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