An Unbearable Burden

A rainy gloomy day here at the Threet household, but we were in need of the rain. Cancelled plans for last night and today due to the rain, so I have a little spare time this morning to

"Share Jesus" with you. I have been reading a small Bible Study booklet ," How to Find Jesus in Your Pain", by Alice Matthews. It focuses on the Woman with issue of blood. The account of this woman is mentioned in Mark 5 and Luke 8. She had suffered for twelve years from some sort of bleeding due to a female problem in her body, which under Leviticus Law made her "unclean", Lev 15, v 25-27. This law was meant to be in motion at the time of the month that her body would be in its menstrual cycle. She could not go outside her home, everything she touched during this time was believed to be contaminated. Having had this problem for 12 years most likely her husband had divorced her and cast her out, her friends had abandoned her and she most likely lived as a beggar outside the city walls where those who were believed to be "unclean" lived. Mark 5 v 25 says she had a flow of blood for 12 years, I believe Mark knew this woman,because he continued on in v 26 to say she had suffered many things from many physicians, had spent all that she had, was no better, but grew worse. If you are a woman and reading this you can have compassion for her. A twelve year menstrual cycle would be a horrible way to live without the Leviticus Law that was in force. When she heard, ( 27) about Jesus, she sought Him out in the crowd, she said, " IF only I may touch His clothes I shall be made well". At this point in time she was in great danger, she could be stoned according to the Law, Thank God for Jesus, we no longer live under the Law, but through His Grace and mercy. V 29, Immediately the blood dried up, she felt in her body and knew in her spirit that she had been healed. v 30, Jesus knew also, for he felt the healing power flow out of Him. His question, "Who touched me ?", gave her opportunity to give testimony to the crowd of what had happened to her. V 33, She fell down in fear and trembling before the crowd and told Him the whole truth, which He knew, but this was something she needed to do. A confession of faith is always rewarded, v 34, Jesus said, " Daughter your faith has made you well". A miracle ! Twelve long years of suffering, abandoned by family and friends, lost all her material wealth seeking a cure, physically weak, and mentally drained, she TOUCHED HIS garment and received healing.What "Unbearable Burden" are you carrying today. Can you have the faith to touch His garment ? To receive release from that burden ? I know you can not physically touch Him, but in your mind see Jesus standing before you, reach out and touch Him. He said, "We have to seek, ask, believe and we shall receive. I talk to women everyday, receive emails , and Face Book messages from hurting women. Most are not Physical, but Emotional and Spiritual, does not matter to Him, He has healing for all of our afflictions. If you see yourself in this story, carrying a burden that has become too much, lay it down, allow Jesus to heal you of that burden. Her faith in Him, moved her to action, allow your faith to move you to action. He stands at the door of your heart, ready, willing, and able to free you from your burden. You have only to open the door and ask in faith that He will move on your behalf. "Until Next Time Keep Your Eyes On Jesus"

Outward, Onward and Upward

We spent the weekend in Choctaw County, Mississippi visiting Bobby's family. The first Sunday in May is Homecoming Sunday at his childhood church, New Haven Baptist. We spent Saturday putting flowers on the graves of his deceased family. Lots of memories were shared by Bobby, his sister Peggy and his Niece Tricia. The area was hit by a tornado a week ago on Saturday April 24th, we saw the devastation it left in its path, the rains from this Saturday hindered the clean up. I am going to give you an outline of Pastor Ballard's sermon to his congregation a week after the tornado. He used the Scripture from Matthew 9 v 35-38 Jesus went about the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every sickness and disease among the people. When he saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them because they were weary and scattered like sheep having no shepherd. then Jesus said to his disciples, " The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest." the victims of the tornado are scattered and weary, the people of the community were touched with compassion and wanted to help. Pastor said this is the OUTWARD responsibility, to help with food, clothes and shelter. To begin the job of clearing home sites in order to begin to rebuild. That compassion comes from God, the WANT TO help someone in distress. Jesus ministered to those no one else wanted to minister to, prostitutes, those tormented with demons, leprosy, and the lame. Too often the Christian community does not want to minister to those who need Him the most. How often do you stop to pray for those hurting people who need Jesus in their lives ? INWARD responsibility, As laborers for God we should be at His mercy to serve I Cor. 4v1 says we are, "servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God". Paul was a servant of Christ who served willingly in spite of all the trials and tribulations that came his way. God calls us to come alongside of Him, to do His will is a choice, He will not force us. Upward, is prayer, to be constant and consistent in prayer. To not allow worry and stress of our daily life to choke out our prayer time. To live each day free from worry, tomorrow will have its own set of problems. Remember you are a laborer in Christ's Army, He has a position and a place for you to serve Him. We are to bring peace and hope to a hopeless world, in order to do this we must move out of our comfort zone inside the church building, get outside where the hurting people are. This is our purpose as believers, to bring a lost and dying world to Jesus. Ask, Lord what have you for me to do ? Lord, broaden my scope, send me to the lost where I might bring hope to those who need you the most. Until next time "Keep Your Eyes On Jesus" !