The Study
Bible Teachings .......by Paul .......(used with permission)
2008-08-11
Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"
Mark 4:39-40
Jesus Christ, the creator of the universe, was with the disciples and calmed the storms with just three words; "PEACE,BE STILL"yet we see that the disciples were still afraid. And how often is this the case in our lives. We trust in the Lord to help us, yet we remain panicked, afraid, and uncertain that He will pull us through our pains. This is such an important lesson for us to learn: faith is destroyed when we let fear inside. Fear handicaps our mind and it cripples our actions. Fear robs our faith. But time and time again, God shows us through His Word that He desires for us not to live in fear…but faith.
As children and joint-heirs with Jesus, we can have the same peace that He brought to the wind and the sea. He came to give us peace with Him (Romans 5:1). No fiery dart from the enemy can keep that peace out of your life. So don’t let fear inside your heart. When you start feeling the pressures of life, ask the Lord for His strength and the Holy Spirit’s enabling to cast that fear aside.
Take some time to read through these verses below, and pray each of them as your personal prayer to Him. Keep these verses close to your heart throughout the day, and even through the week. Let them sink deeply into your soul and speak truth to you -- that you are special to the Lord and that He wants you to live a life full of joy and peace, not fear.
"Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32)."For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15)."For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind"
2 Timothy 1:7). "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love" (1 John 4:8).So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:6).
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Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.
Mark 5:1-6
I love this story from the Gospel of Mark because it relates so much to my life. It makes clear that nobody is beyond God's reach. Here is a man who has been tormented by the devil, so he withdraws himself from everyone. He’s a beggar, an outcast, homeless, and mentally unstable. He wants to end his life because he realizes that it has no meaning. He is so far away from God. He had such enormous physical strength, yet was spiritually so weak.
There are times, I'm sure, when you feel that you're just not worth anything. You may feel so far away from God, like this man here, and you withdraw from other Christians—you start going back to your former, destructive lifestyle. Yet God won’t give up on you; He is still so madly in love with you! (Feel Far From God..Who Moved?)
God is trying to reach you. Maybe you feel so far gone that you think, "Why would God want to reach me?" But He will battle the forces of hell to get to you. And that is so amazing when you stop and think of it. He will fight for you and He does fight for you. He defends you and He is there to bless you.
You may have friends who don't know God and you're really concerned about them. Or maybe you’re reading this and you feel like this man who was being tormented by the devil, and you don’t know where to turn. Realize that there’s nothing you can do but to ask the Lord to help you. Simply ask.
God can use this story to encourage you. Trust Him. He will spiritually take care of your soul. He will start mending your relationships if you’ll just allow Him to come into your life. He’s promised to supply all of your needs based on His riches, so you can count on Him to take care of you. Be encouraged: you are not—ever—out of God’s reach."And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).
copyright: 1987-2008
Blueletter Bible
When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me."
Mark 5:6-7
Here is a man that recognizes he was in the presence of God in the flesh—the Son of the Most High God. It is interesting that this man, after running to Jesus and worshiping Him, said, "I beg you that you do not torment me." It is almost like he was saying, "You're my last chance. Everyone else has tormented me. Everything that has been in my life has bought pain and suffering. Please don't let me down."
But here’s the great thing. Jesus is the One who will never let you down! Maybe you've been where this man has been, and your life has been one emotional and physical roller-coaster ride after another. Maybe your parents have let you down. Or maybe it was your kids or your spouse. Or people you once trusted, but who cut you down. For many, all we’ve wanted is for someone to love us in the good times and accept us in our bad times—someone who would bring stability in a relationship. So can you understand a little bit where this outcast man is coming from? All he’s experienced is torment, and all he wants is the tender touch of Jesus on his life.
I can guarantee you that God will never let you down if you surrender your life and your heart to Him. This man is such a great example of that. And remember that when this guy saw Jesus, he ran and worshiped Him. Isn't that amazing? Here is an outcast from society who was a raving lunatic, yet he knew enough to worship Jesus. Imagine if the attitude of all Christians was, "Let's run to worship Jesus." There would be a revival in our nation that nobody could believe. That is the fire that has to be in your heart. So wherever you are in life, surrender everything to the Lord Jesus. He won’t let you down. He doesn’t desire that you live in torment. Run to Him and worship Him today."Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6)
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For He said to him, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!" Then He asked him, "What is your name?" And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion; for we are many." Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them." And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.
Mark 5:8-13
God’s grace in your life is so incredible and tremendous. Consider the man we see here in Mark, chapter five, from whom Jesus cast out demons. Did you notice that this one man had so many demons in him, that when Jesus cast them out, they possessed about 2,000 pigs! How could he have even survived? The instant that Jesus sent these demons into the pigs, the pigs went crazy, rushed down the steep cliffs into the sea, and died. Yet here was a man who had tried numerous times to kill himself unsuccessfully, was a raging lunatic, and was an outcast running rampant in the desert; he didn’t die! Why? Because Jesus wanted to do the miraculous in his life. Great grace was on this man. God loved him so much; He didn’t want him to die. Grace saved him. This man had been rejected by everyone…except Jesus. You see, Jesus had to get to him and give him a chance. And Jesus wants to get to your heart and give you a chance, too. He'll battle storms, He’ll cross the seas. He'll do whatever it takes to get to you.
The choice is yours to accept His love and grace in your life, or to reject it and live in agony and sorrow. Maybe your mom and dad have rejected you. Maybe you've been rejected by people you cared for and loved. But God’s grace is on your life, no matter who’s rejected you in the past. God will come close to you. And that which nobody has ever been able to do, God is able to do for you."In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7)
Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea. And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live."
Mark 5:21-23
It's never too late to request anything from the Lord. Here's a man who was a powerful religious leader in the city, inevitably very popular, well-known, and respected. Being a key leader in the synagogue brought him a lot of power and respect in his Jewish community. Yet we see here that reputation and power meant nothing to him when it came to the life of his young daughter. Falling before Jesus' feet, begging Him repeatedly to heal his daughter, this man didn't care what anybody thought. He didn't care if people saw him weeping and begging Jesus for His mercy. All he cared about was his daughter, and he knew full well that Jesus was the Son of God -- that He alone could heal her.
Maybe you have a friend or relative who is physically struggling with life. Maybe there are people in your life who desperately need Jesus' healing touch, yet you've been too prideful or embarrassed to fall at His feet and beg Him for His healing touch. Don't allow the fear of looking foolish to interfere with your faith. May we have a child-like faith, like this man Jairus did, where we fall at Jesus' feet and beg for His healing touch. We know that Jesus can, and will, intercede in anybody's life right up to the end; don't let any pride hinder open communication with Him. Simply surrender your heart to Him and offer up your requests to Him in faith.
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6).
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Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.
Mark 5:25-27
As you read through the Bible, you’ll notice that God uses many "certain men" and "certain woman" whose names are not given. In this passage, we see "a certain woman." We don’t know who she is, where she’s from, if she’s rich or poor, famous or educated. She is just "a certain woman." You see, the Christian life isn’t about being famous, or rich, or having a huge reputation. God wants to use "certain people" to accomplish His goals. God knew that if we had the names of everyone who has done great things for the Lord that we would be likely to over-honor and exalt them instead of the One who deserves all the credit, glory, and honor. Paul says of Jesus, "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" (1 Timothy 1:17). Yes, it is God who should receive all of the glory and honor, not people.
God wants to do amazing things through you. Be counted in His kingdom as a "certain" man or woman. Don’t get hung up on popularity, notoriety, or prestige. Also, it seems that everybody thinks that the work of the ministry in the church is for someone else; that somehow the people with the titles or the people with the prestige will get it all done. No, it’s you, and me, and every "certain" person who walks through the church's doors. If we all "certain individuals" take on the responsibility, just think what kind of impact we’ll make for God’s glory!
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Again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.
Judges 13:1
The Philistines are always a picture of our flesh. Wherever these Philistines go, there’s always trouble lurking and they’re always defying the living God. The Lord wanted the Philistines destroyed so that the people of Israel could enjoy the blessings of God. And this is exactly what happens to us when we live in the flesh; God wants us to enjoy life in the Spirit, but we oftentimes choose to live in the flesh. Paul has a lot to say about living in the Spirit instead of the flesh.
"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit" (Romans 8:5).
"For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live" (Romans 8:13)."I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).
We see here in our passage that the children of Israel were under the Philistine rule for 40 years. And maybe there are some who are reading this today who have been ruled by your flesh for 40 years. Well, now is the time to crucify that flesh and start living for God. The Lord has so much more planned for you than you could ever imagine, but you need to get rid of those things that are weighing you down. Don’t allow the enemy to overtake you and make you feel like you’re a loser. As a Christian, you aren’t condemned because of the work that Jesus Christ did on the cross. You now can live a life pleasing to Him. You don’t have to feel trapped or stuck in your sins. Confess those fleshly desires and get that burden of guilt and shame off your shoulders. The Lord has something huge in store for you. Let go of the things of the flesh and allow the Holy Spirit to work miraculously in your life!"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:1).
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Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well." Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.
Mark 5:25-29
There is no emotional baggage too big for Jesus to handle. Here we see a woman who was emotionally distraught. According to the Levitical law, if a woman was to bleed any time past her normal time each month, she was deemed an unclean person everyday and had to go through a ceremonial cleansing of everything she touched—whether it be her clothes, pots and pans, furniture, or people. If any people were to come to her house during this time, they would need to take special baths to cleanse themselves from being in an unclean person's house.
So stop and think about this: for 12 whole years, nobody had hugged this woman, nobody had kissed her, nobody had shaken her hand, nobody had patted her on the back, and nobody would come and visit her. She was ostracized because of the law. Imagine the feelings of being so exiled and yet so close to people. How lonely this lady was. How rejected she was. How her heart must have wept for her relationships to be restored.
Maybe in the same way, you've been rejected. In your heart and mind you never get close to people—or they never get close to you. Maybe all of your discussions are surface and shallow; there is no depth or warmth. There is no love. But Jesus wants to change that! He has the power, just in His touch, to heal your pain, your hurts, and rejections. You don’t need to live in fear of the past, the present, or the future. Don’t allow the enemy to keep you feeling rejected and lonely. Whatever emotional scars you have, count on the One who wants to be your close friend…and Savior. What Jesus tells this "certain woman" in verse 34 is what He’s saying to you: "Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."
So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region. And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him.
Mark 5:14-18
After Jesus miraculously freed a man of demon possession, and cast the demons into a herd of approximately 2,000 swine, this group of pig farmers pleaded with Jesus to leave. They had suffered a financial loss, so they got angry. And instead of rejoicing over a lost soul being saved from the torments of the enemy, they hated Jesus. But why were they raising pigs in the first place? They knew that raising pigs was against God's law, and was an embarrassment(stumbling stone) to their fellow Jewish people. They had money and greed on their minds, and their greed really shows up in this story.
We really need to be careful not to do the very same thing that these people did. Do we care about money and material things more than we do lost souls? Are we more concerned about how to get more in the bank than we are about the world that desperately needs Jesus? These people thought that material possessions and money were more important than the power of Jesus Christ changing a life. So, don't let this physical realm take you over the cliff with those pigs. Surrender your heart like this man did, and focus on the Kingdom of heaven, not the kingdom of darkness.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19-20).
And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region. And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you." And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.
Mark 5:16-20
And maybe Jesus is talking to you, calling you to go somewhere to do His work, but you’ve been unwilling to listen to His voice. Maybe, if you listen closely enough, He’s asking you to get up out of your office chair and talk to your boss or your co-worker about the amazing things God has done in your life. Or maybe God is asking you to start a Bible study in your home, or to get more involved in the things of the Lord in your church. Or just maybe He’s calling you to move to a place where you can preach the Gospel to the lost in a foreign country. Whatever the Lord is calling you to do, do it! Whatever the specifics, God has called each of us to go -- to reach out to people with what God has done for us, and share the message of Hope with them.
My prayer for us today is that our hearts would be soft towards Jesus Christ and His voice, and that we would all simply ask Him, "What can I do to further what You have done for me?"
When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."
Mark 5:27-28
"If only things were different, life would be great." "
If only I had enough money, my life would be better." "If only I had never dated this guy, my life would be different.""If only I had this past year back."
Here is this lady; bleeding, bewildered at life, belittled by everyone, and bankrupt. And in her persistent attempts to get close to Jesus, she utters the words, "If only…" If only she could touch Jesus' clothes, she would be healed. She knew that even in His very clothes resided the power of heaven to radically change her life. You see, she had faith to believe.
Sometimes our "if only’s" sound pretty selfish and feeble compared to this lady’s request, don't they? Most of the time, they are wrought with insecurity, selfishness, and laziness. But this woman came to Jesus with an attitude of belief. With the right heart, you can approach the Lord with your "if only’s" in life. He so desperately wants to give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4). But realize that as we draw closer to Him and delight in Him, as we read the Word of God, and as we communicate with Him, our desires start to mold into His desires. Suddenly, the things that are most important to Him become the most important things to us. And instead of saying "if only..." for the sake of our old selfish desires, we begin offering up our requests by faith -- with His desires at heart.
So be bold in faith like this lady was, and reach out to Jesus, telling Him all of your pains and passions. He wants to radically change your life as well. Don’t give Him feeble genie-like wishes; request the pure and noble desires of your heart. Go to Him with an unselfish and unpretentious spirit. Then see His power unleashed in your life.
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Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:37-39
If you’re feeling down about life, please be encouraged today. God doesn't have any average children. As believers in Christ Jesus, He’s made us His sons and daughters (2 Corinthians 6:18). You're an adopted heir to the throne of God through His Son, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5). You are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). You are royalty! You're not average or below average. Everything that is His has been given to you through the work of Jesus Christ. Romans 8:39 says that "There is no height, no width, no length, no depth, no breadth that can separate you from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ." That is not average! You have to start realizing that, "My God shall supply all of your needs according to his riches and glory in Jesus Christ" (Philippians 4:19).
This is a time in history when millions of us have got to stand up for God, His glory, and His righteousness. Stop thinking that you’re mediocre or below average. You're so special. You were bought for eternity, not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of the only begotten Son of God (1 Peter 1:18-19). Now that is not average; that is off the charts! If God would go to that effort to save your soul, why in the world would you want to be average? Why would you not want to live your life to the fullest, with everything that God has for you?
Let God fully get into your life, and let Him fill you with all of the blessings and riches that are in Christ Jesus (Colossians 1:27). You see, He has taken you out of the ordinary category! Get into the Word of God, study it, and let it soak into your soul. Let your heart come alive as you read this amazing revelation of God. And the more you do, the more you will continue to see that we are more than conquerors—not average—through Jesus Christ.
"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4).
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I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
John 10:11
I think we've all been in organizations, relationships, and even churches where the people really didn't care for us. This is the great thing about Jesus: He really cares for us. He cares about all the little details, the pressures, the pains, the struggles. He is the "Good Shepherd" who has given His very life for His sheep (John 10:11).
You see, sheep are some of the most defenseless creatures on the planet. They do not have claws, fangs, swimming abilities, running abilities, or any real talents. They fall on their backs and die from sun exposure because they can't get back up to their feet. In fact, without the consistent care of a skillful and loving shepherd, it's not too hard to see why sheep can get pretty stressed out.
In the same way, we so often stress ourselves out by not leaving our cares in the hands of Jesus. Sometimes the cares of work, of family, of strained relationships, or unexpected circumstances cause us to feel so powerless that we throw up our hands in defeat. But the Bible says to "cast your cares upon Him because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). You may have cares that go back weeks, months, or even years, but by dragging those cares around, you will only cause yourself to be loaded down -- "stuck" in a cycle of merely existing, rather than living the abundant life that Jesus has given you.
Today, let me encourage you to cast every burden upon Christ. Jesus wants to give you such freedom, such peace, such life. Allow Him to be your shepherd. Allow Him to care for you.
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And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?" But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’" And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."
Mark 5:30-34
But look at the disciples’ response. In essence, they were saying, "Jesus, let’s get out of Dodge. What do you care if someone touched You? Let’s high-tail it out of here before we get mobbed." The disciples are inconsiderate and insensitive. And did you notice this one small error in the disciples' words? Jesus said, "who touched My clothes," but the disciples thought He said, "who touched Me?" You see, what's so amazing about this story is that the woman hadn't even touched Jesus -- she had only touched His garment. And even so, Jesus knew that she needed healing. Yet the disciples were so insensitive and selfish that they didn't even realize how "in-tune" Jesus was to the needs of the woman. They weren’t even listening to Jesus! Now that’s a bad place to be in life.
Jesus knew that something special had happened. And we all are just like this woman. Each one of you is special, and each one of us needs His tender touch. No matter how big the multitude is, Jesus will always stop for you. He will always turn around. He'll always look for you. And when He finds you, He'll look you right in the eye and wonder what it is that He could do for you. God can change everything for you.
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Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.
Mark 6:30-32
Can you relate to what the disciples are feeling here? They are exhausted, weary, burdened, and burned out. Too often, life is an exhausting ordeal. But here’s the encouraging news: Jesus has so much compassion for you, and He desires the very best for you.
Some of you need to get away from the hectic pace of life and the stress it brings, and spend time in a quiet, deserted place with the Lord to seek His desires for you. Others of you are already in a deserted place, spiritually, where Jesus is absent from your life; you need to get out of that place and seek Jesus alone for guidance and hope and joy.
You see, not only does Jesus want to give you rest for your soul, He wants to be with you. Notice that Jesus said, "Come aside." He desires to spend time with you, because He’s the one guiding and ministering to you. He doesn’t leave you alone for you to figure out what your next steps are; He’s right there with you, offering His help to you.
Trust in the compassion of Jesus, not the stressful rat-race of life, to get your significance. Ask Him for rest. Ask Him for advice. Trust in the Lord with all your heart (Proverbs 3:5-6) for your next steps. And above all, find your true rest and comfort in Him.
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).