Wake Up And Get A Life!

Scripture focus is Faith. This lesson deals with the woman with the issue of blood as recorded in Mark 5:25-29.

"And there was a woman in the crowd who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors through the years and had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she was worse. She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched the fringe of his robe. For she thought to herself, "If I can just touch his clothing, I will be healed." Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel that she had been healed!"

Many wonderful lessons have been taught from this scripture on the woman's faith in the healing power of Jesus, and her temerity, and many of us have benefited from those lessons. Today however, I would like to shift the focus a little and go back to the beginning of the story rather than focus on the end so that some of us who are currently struggling may finally turn toward the Holy Spirit's tapping on our shoulders, trying to redirect us.

The Bible tells us that not only had she suffered from the hemorrhage for twelve years, but she also suffered at the hand of the many doctors she has visited, seeking help. How many of us use Jesus as our last resort for help? (I know, I know, if you can't say "Amen" say "Ouch!"). Some of our problems today could have been solved a long time ago if we had not only gone to Jesus first, but followed the instructions He laid out for the solution.

Many of us feel that just because we live in a certain neighborhood, work in a certain type of environment, send our children to certain types of schools, run with a certain type of crowd, that these surroundings give us the excuse to become "undercover" Christians. We don't shout like we used to, we don't dare praise God openly, and to dance for the Lord in the open, in the presence of unbelievers, has become unthinkable.

Some of us are running from the very commandment we've all been given, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." We feel that just because we don't have the official title of preacher that this is not our responsibility. Do you realize that just openly thanking God for a sale price on a necessity is a form of preaching the gospel? You're letting those around you know that you serve a God Who is so into the little details that He set aside an item according to your current situation (your manna, if you will), and you are letting Him know that you are grateful.

We are letting the world dictate to us how we should praise the very God who created it! We, who have insight into how amazing He really is, are allowing those ignorant of His grace, mercy and love to tell us where and when we should show our devotion and appreciation. We're allowing the "doctors" of the world to drain us of the very power Jesus left for us to use to heal the sick, free the captive, and deliver the bound. We're turning to the atheist for advice on how to word a prayer "politically correctly." The devil is a liar!!!

When are we going to realize that Jesus is passing by and standing by looking cute is not going to get it? Follow the example of the woman, who said, in essence, "Bump all o' y'all, I'm gon' get mine!" Following the world's example and living by the world's rules for so long, only got her so far. In truth, the Word says, that she got worse. How many of our situations (now looking back with 20/20 vision) have gotten worse just because we did "what the doctor said" instead of "what THE DOCTOR said?"

Saints, it's time to become disentangled from the enemy's web of lies. We must extricate ourselves from those who seek to keep us in a downtrodden state simply because they're afraid to praise God openly. We've been given the victory in Jesus and denying Him openly is denying this very victory. It's been given to us; it's a gift, so why would we forfeit a fabulous gift just because it doesn't "go with everything else?" Please, get a grip!

Get a Life! And you know I'm right!

Boldly going in Jesus Name, where none have gone before!

The Psalmist.