We are going to be reading from Luke 8:40-48 this morning. Today’s message is based from a Bible study that I did a several summers ago. God used it in a powerful way then, and I pray that again this morning He will do the same. Do you all agree that God is a “wow” God? The true living God of the Bible is a wow God. He is an awesome God. We all, I’m sure have heard and most have sung “You Are Awesome In This Place, Mighty God”. He is an amazing God, and I know all of you know the song “Amazing Grace”. We sing about His amazing love and His amazing might and His amazing miracles. He can do what no one else can do. He can do the impossible. God says of Himself in Jeremiah 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for Me? Do you have anything in your life that is difficult? Something facing you that is too difficult for you to handle on your own? I can assure you it’s not too difficult for God. It may seem impossible for you, but for God? Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Amen? We believe this, right? Jesus is right here. Right here in this room. The Holy Spirit is in the room where you may be listening to this message or right in the room where you may be reading this at a later time. My friends, we are gathered here in the precious name of Jesus. Turn back a chapter to Matthew 18:18. Matthew 18:18-20 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven. :19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in Heaven. :20 For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them. These are His promises to us. We all need to get a revelation of this. Amen? I believe that this is going to touch someone’s heart here today. I believe that someone’s faith is going to be strengthened. Let's all I say, "I need a miracle." As we go through today’s message, I want all of us to be thinking of things that we need help with. What is it that you need our Savior to do in your life? What miracle can He do that He would be glorified by? Where are you putting your faith in Jesus today? What are you willing to let go of and say, "Jesus I give You this thing in my life today." Prayer. As I have been thinking about these scripture we are about to read, this is only one of the many miracles that Jesus performed in the Bible while He walked on this earth. I am sure there were countless more not recorded. I have been listening to a series “God’s Will to Heal” for some time now and in this sermon the pastor refers to the story of Jesus healing the man with leprosy. Luke 5:12-14 is a great story, and illustrates that it is God’s will to heal, even today. This story in Luke 8 has been nagging at me, if you will, for a couple of weeks. So in saying this, I am relying on God to help me pen this down to teach you and me what He wants us to learn. Turn please to Luke 8:40. Jesus has just returned from Gadarenes, after casting out a legion of demons from a man. He is now in Galilee. Luke 8:40-48 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for Him. :41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought Him that he would come into his house: :42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him. :43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, :44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. :45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with Him said, Master, the multitude throng Thee and press Thee, and sayest Thou, Who touched Me? :46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched Me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of Me. :47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before Him, she declared unto Him before all the people for what cause she had touched Him, and how she was healed immediately. :48 And He said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. This is such a great story. What a faith building story. I found two discoveries in this and I feel if we can tap into them it will change our lives. Discovery 1: Everyone encounters problems in life. Not one of us can say that we don’t have a problem in our life. Agreed? For the believer, the enemy throws stumbling blocks in our way to throw us off track and mess us up. Last week was one of those for me. You have problems, I have them, and Adam had them. We all face problems. Job, one of the Godliest men that lived had problems. Job 5:7 Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. This woman with the issue of blood had her problems. And I am in hopes to show you a miracle within a miracle. This woman had one main problem that led her to have lots of other problems. Can we relate? She had the issue of blood, but it brought about many other issues. First of all, she had a long-term problem. Her issue had been for twelve years. Some or all of us can relate to long-term problems. Another thing I just noticed, (and we know that God uses numbers) verses 41 and 42. 41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought Him that he would come into his house::42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him. Did you notice? The woman had an issue of blood for 12 years and the daughter of Jairus was 12 years old. Can you imagine this woman having this problem with blood for twelve years? Losing blood day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. I am not familiar with woman things like that, but she had to be weak, sick and so sick and tired of being sick and weak and tired. She had a physically debilitating problem. Anyone here ever felt physically debilitated? To be totally worn out? She also had a shame problem. With me playing scriptures every night when I go to bed, I remembered hearing of God’s laws. Leviticus 15:25 And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean. This woman was unclean for 12 + years, and I am not going to try to figure out the math for the total. But also everything she sat on or touched was unclean. She had problems. She also, I would imagine, kept it to herself, as I am sure it was embarrassing and very shameful for her. Some of us might have some of those shameful habits. Alcohol, drugs, porn or gambling addictions and thinking, "I don’t want anyone to know I do that." I have done things I am ashamed of. I am sure she felt isolated. According to the Bible, a person who was unclean could not go to the temple to worship. This woman, if she was married had other problems, I am sure. If she was married, she could not be intimate with her husband. I suppose some of us might have a problem with isolation. Some sort of fear. Depression, maybe? Depression is a devilish problem. I have battled with depression way back in the past and it led me to isolation. I stayed in a basement apartment and most of the time with the lights off, with no windows. I didn’t want to be around anyone. I slept a lot. When I wasn’t sleeping, I hid behind a computer screen, where no one knew me and I could be whoever I wanted to be. Most of the time, people would think I was happy, though I had a lot of things bottled up that kept screaming to come out. We just read that this woman had spent most of her money on doctors who couldn’t help her. Mark 5:26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse. Sometimes we may go through financial problems. Some of us might be broke right now. Or beyond broke because there is more money that has been borrowed than can ever be paid back. Or because of things not foreseen that come up and drain our savings account. There have been times I have felt that problem. Feel like you are drowning in a sea of red. How about this problem? Hopeless. I am never going to get better. I will never get out of this bondage. These chains have bound me. Oh, my weight. I am out of shape and will never get back to where I used to be. It’s just hopeless for me and I want to give up. What’s the use? I have been there too. Or, I am addicted to this or that and I will never be able to overcome my addictions. Suppose this woman with the issue of blood felt like this? Discovery 2: Jesus is able to overcome any problem. Her problem was a bad one. Jesus was able to conquer this problem in Luke 8:48. How long did it take? Immediately!! This woman came behind Jesus. Luke 8:44 Came behind Him, and touched the border of His garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. She touched the hem of His garment. Think about this. She would have most likely had to be practically lying down to touch His hem. This verse amazes me and I think it is a key. Luke 8:42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as He went the people thronged him. Looking up thronged in my concordance, I found this: G4862 and G4155; to strangle completely, that is, (literally) to drown, or (figuratively) to crowd: - choke, throng. This woman with the issue of blood had to be in the perfect place to accomplish this. A huge crowd, and from how the scriptures sound there was pushing and shoving, agreed? It would have been noisy, as it says they; the people of Galilee were excited to see Him. Friends, this gets better. Crowded, like being choked, noisy, she comes up from behind. Everyone is touching Him because they are happy to see Him. She touches His garment and immediately she is healed, after 12 long years. Are you looking for a miracle like this? Jesus didn’t come with a certain amount of miracles that He could perform that day. Cast the demons out of the man. Raise Jairus’s daughter from the dead. Heal this woman with the blood problem. The Lord healed everyone that came to Him. Nowhere in the Bible can I find where it says Jesus would not heal someone asking. Jesus today is willing to heal us. We have needs right here, and He wants to do a miracle in our lives, but we have to push through some things. You may be saying, "But Brother Jim, God doesn’t do miracles in my life." I am telling you because of things that have happened in my life. I can tell you that He is willing and able because of what the Bible says. We can learn from this woman how to receive a miracle. First we need to push through the excuses. She could have had lots of excuses. She was unclean and from what I have learned from God’s Word it was risky for her to be with the crowd. She could have said, "Well, maybe I will try to see Jesus tomorrow." Have you done this? I have, and this is Satan’s way of distracting you. God speaks about doing things and coming to Him now. "Well, maybe I will try to do it tomorrow, then the next day." Jesus was going to Jairus’s house. He was the ruler of the synagogue. He was an important figure back then. She knowing that, according to her problem, was a nobody compared to this man. Here this unclean woman is, and here comes Jesus. Rabbi Jesus. The Holy One. Do you see where I am going with this? Can we all relate to this? This woman had to overcome many issues, many excuses. Overcome the crowd. Even today, we have to get through the crowd. Are we hanging with the crowd? Are we doing what the crowd wants us to do, or what God wants us to do? The crowd wants us to tie on a good one, whether drugs, alcohol, sex, getting in trouble with the law, etc… The crowd wants to rebel, use the Lord’s name in vain. The crowd will hold you back from your miracle and from Jesus every time. Does the crowd want you to go to church or bible study? Where does Jesus say that most people in this world go? Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: :14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Where are most going? The broad gate. Do we want to follow this crowd? Are we afraid of what some may think of us? Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. This just came to mind... do any of you wonder sometimes if you really are saved? I have to admit I have had these thoughts before, and I end up in prayer before the enemy convinces me otherwise. There may be someone here that may be thinking I gave my heart to the Lord when I was 10 years old and what would others here say if I didn’t think I was saved and came up front for an alter call. I couldn’t do that in front of all my friends. What would they say or think? WHO CARES WHAT THEY THINK!!! The main thing is, what does God think. This woman in the story was unclean. She should not have been with the crowd. Here is Jesus, the Holy One of the universe, in a huge crowd. And she knew that if she touched Him in faith she may be healed. Mark 5:28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. She pushed through, and that is where we all need to be. No matter what obstacles are put in our way, we need to push through, and touch Jesus. The past year or 2 have been a roller coaster ride. Because of things spoken against in the Bible and what I felt put on my heart is why I have left some organizations. Even though I am totally in agreement with what they stand for, I could no longer listen to the language or schemes amongst some of the members. I left a church that I loved and was very involved with, from the near beginning. These things happen in our lives. Knowing that it was time to go elsewhere, every time that I would pray or think where God would have me be, I kept hearing that small voice saying “Here and let me guide you.” Friends, I struggled with that. I love writing messages. I love learning about God’s heart. I love being used by Him and giving testimony of His goodness. I love watching Him move through people. Even though I left these places, I still love the people and pray for them. We all are going to go through challenges, but we need to think constantly what Jesus would do in these circumstances. We all have read these verses, but do you struggle with them? Mat 22:36-39 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? :37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. :38 This is the first and great commandment. Then Jesus said this, and this is a lesson that I have to grasp onto. Even though I have that love, I may not show it sometimes. :39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. :40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Friends, when we obey the first two greatest commandments, the rest fall into place. This is why I try to be in God’s Word daily. There are times that I spend 2 0r 3 hours reading and meditating. Am I telling you that you need to spend that much time in your Bible? Absolutely not, unless God puts it on your heart, but I would encourage you to spend some time in it daily. Being in prayer is also very important. I don’t spend as much time in prayer as I probably should. I don’t believe that there is a mathematical number of how much time we need to spend in prayer or reading our Bibles, but I do think He wants some of our time everyday. In closing, do you have a problem that you can’t overcome on your own? Maybe an addiction, an addiction of whatever, big, small, in-between, I don’t know your heart, but Jesus does. Do you have a problem like mine where everything has to be done a certain way and at a certain time? I struggled with this for many years. I hope that I have gotten better, but I do know that I have a long way to go. I had a big issue with people that wanted to work with me and couldn’t keep up, yet get paid the same. In my mind, I felt I had to do twice as much as anyone else because of my handicap. Was it right for me to expect others to do the same job that I happened to love and did well and took a great interest in? No. Was it right for me to be judgmental of someone that had never been on a dairy farm, nor worked from 3AM to 9PM, nor was used to having to work on holidays? No. I am telling you that if we all can put the story of this woman to use in our own lives, Jesus will help us. If we keep pressing on and pressing in to the things of Jesus and obey Him, we will see great things happen in our lives, for His Glory. If we keep pushing in and do it in faith, God will deliver us. This woman left all the excuses behind and overcame them all and was healed, and healed immediately. She pushed through the crowd. This just came to me. Do you know why so many people come to church and leave the same? Because they touch Jesus with a casual touch and with ears not hearing and receiving God’s Word. They sing songs with a casual touch. They follow along the sermon casually. They are not willing to put away the excuses and push through the crowd. They never come to Jesus and say, "Lord I come to You in faith and here is my problem and I bare myself to You now. Jesus, please work mightily in my life, because I believe in You and I can’t do it on my own." Faith isn’t believing God can do something in your life. Faith is believing God will do something in your life. How do you reach out to the Lord? With just a casual touch? You have your problems and you don’t want anyone to know about them? No one has to know about them but Jesus, and He already does. He is saying to you, "I have a miracle for you if only you would be honest and put away the pride." What the Lord is saying is if you leave all your bitterness, jealousy and unforgiveness at My feet (Jesus), if you and I could come to Him in brokenness and push through the crowd and touch His garment, in faith, He says, "I will do it because I love you. If you would surrender to Me right now, because I can do it and will do it, because I love you and I died on the cross for you." God is the same yesterday today and forever. He is no respecter of persons. This is what God says in the Bible. So in saying that, if He did it for her, He will do it for you and for me. Ask Him. Let us focus and live our lives for Jesus. Not just in certain areas of our lives, but in everything we say and do. Friends, look around you. Do you see a big change going on all around the world? Poverty, crime, things happening with nature that didn’t used to happen but once in a while. The news is full of this state is mad at this state and this country is going to destroy other countries. Do we see sicknesses like we never saw or heard happening at such an alarming rate? What about the way people are acting and things that our government says we can or cannot do? Church, these were all things prophesied in the Bible for such a time as this. Today my friends is when we need to cry out to Jesus and ask for forgiveness and to live our lives for Him. Today is the day we should all say, "Lord, I am Yours and I will follow You no matter where You take me. Today I will spend time conversing with You and studying Your heart." Will you? Let’s pray.
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