.

[Babs]

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[sunlight]

This is really good...

[apsurf]

The greatest sermons come from knowledge.
The greatest commentaries come from wisdom.
The greatest  illustrations come from understanding.
The greatest understanding comes from first hand experiences.

[Babs]

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[Tricia Lea]

Mar 5:25-34  And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

as i was reading this story one day, i began to think about the implications of what really happened.

so many times it is preached about this lady's faith and how she touched Jesus and was made whole, how she pressed her way through the crowd.

but one night as i was reading it, it was like i saw the story in a whole new way. if you have seen this before please bear with me.

what really hit me was, how so many people that day were so close to him, it says they were pressed, this makes me picture, many people so close to him, rubbing elbows with him so to speak. yet, only one person actually touched him.

the more i thought about that, i began to think about our lives. we go to services, they are powerful at times, there is preaching that goes forth, we see his spirit move, we are in that crowd, that press so to speak. yet why is it only a few seem to actually touch him?

is it possible that we become immune to his spirit, to his moving in our midst that we can be right there next to him, feel his presence even, be so close to him we even can feel the breath of his spirit, yet we never actually touch him?

we see people that are in church for years and years, many that are raised in church, yet there is nothing in their lives that says they ever touched him.

what made that sick lady's touch different that day? how was the way she touched him different than the crowd that was swarmed around him, following him, listening to him intently, touching him even?

have our lives become so common place within the church that we can no longer touch Jesus? we go to services, and its all routine. we listen to preaching, and we know just when to say amen, we can shout on cue, we can even "feel" the right songs to sing. we know when to follow the crowd to the altar, we can cry as expected.

the one thing that stood out to me in this story was, when this lady touched Jesus, something actually happened. something changed. not only was she healed, Jesus said because of your faith you have been made whole.

so something had to be different. many people received healing in the bible, but few do you see they were made whole. so i have to ask what was the difference? are we happy to just have a touch so to speak? get a healing, but never being made whole?

what does it take to touch him in a way that he brings wholeness to us? "thy faith has made thee whole". how is that faith different than faith that brings healing.

i think of this as an example. i was in a severe auto accident. i broke my back in three places, broke a hip, one leg was broken in several places, broke a wrist, ribs, and ended up paralyzed in a wheel chair for over three years, paralyzed on my entire left side.

i was new in the church and didn't really know much and began to get real discouraged. it was so hard to make it to church being in a wheelchair and not being able to drive anymore. my sons were not old enough at the time to drive us. so many times we just sat at home.

one night my oldest son, who at the time only had the Holy Hhost for about a year, came to me crying and said mom, if i can find us a ride, would you please go to church with us. it was so late in the day i really didint think he would find that ride, but i said yes i would.

after making many calls, he finally found someone to pick us up. i will be honest here, i really didn't want to go but i had told him i would

when we were there you could really feel the spirit of God there. then came the time for the offering. we had no money, due to my accident, we were very bad off financially. but as the offering plates were passed, i noticed my son getting out his wallet. i knew he didn't have any money nor did i, and i felt so bad.

i always had an inside joke with my boys, back then to make a phone call on a payphone cost a quarter, and anytime they left the house and i couldn't be with them, i would hand them a quarter to put in their wallet, and told them, if you ever get in trouble, call someone who cares.

when i looked to see what my son was doing, he turned toward me, and tears were streaming down his face, and i said son what are you doing? he pulled out that quarter, and said, "mom, we are in trouble, and i am going to call someone who cares". and he placed that quarter in the offering plate. this was a 12 year old boy. what faith!

two days later i went to a revival service with my pastors wife and some of the ladies from the church. again i really didn't want to but they called and i said i would go.

to make a long story short, before the service was over that night, the Holy Ghost started moving, and God touched me in a mighty way, i ended up shouting all over that church! instantly i was able to jump up out of that wheelchair, and they said i danced and shouted all over the church. i had use of my left side of my body that had been paralyzed for three years. and i know it was because of this 12 year old boys prayer!!

i say all that to say this, even though i was healed, my body was not made whole. i still have alot of pain, there are still signs that things were battered and broken in the accident. i have often wondered, had i been so close to God but yet i couldn't touch him? yes he brought healing in my body. but why was i not made whole?

i look at this story of this lady in mark, and i ask, Lord what was the difference. show me Lord how to touch you like she did. see i need healing in my soul, but i don't want just a healing. i want to be made whole.

i really don't know why i am even writing this today, but it is just something burning in my heart. i want to touch Jesus just as this lady did. i dont want to live the rest of my life near God but never touching him.

Good one

[Babs]

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[giggles]

Your words have touched my soul. I have prayed that prayer so many times. If I but touch the hem of your garment I will be healed. It never occurred to me to be made whole. I know that sometimes life is at a rapid race and it seems like touching God is almost an impossibility. That is when I need it most. I always need a touch from Him. It is only when I become desperate that I can touch God. I pray that I will always be desperate for His touch. My life is meaningless whithout Him. I want to be made whole.

[Babs]

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[Babs]

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[jennymyers238]

Darkness Surrounds Me, Again

that really speaks volumes

[ChangedByGod]

Lord this darkness
surrounds me again,
once more

Lord I need You again,
in You I may
triumph and soar

Thank You for
Your comfort and peace
for me You send

I no longer have
to wallow in pity, or
my heart, rend

Trouble is all about me,
meant to bring
me down

I am reaching inside
for Your strength, the joy
that replaces my frown

If I have anything
inside me that
is not of You

Clean it out Lord,
allow Your Spirt to flow
freely through me too

Your peace that passes
all understanding
settles in me

You are for me
and not against me,
I'm so glad I finally see

Your grace is truly
sufficient for this moment,
in my life

This battle is Yours,
You are at work tearing
down this strife

I may relax in You,
as in me,
You do Your work

You shut the mouth
of the enemy
while in this murk

No longer am I
afraid of this darkness,
that desires to make me afraid

You are my Shepherd,
I shall not want,
You make me, I pray

So well spoken

Thank you

[sunlight]

* sunlight hugs Ethyl tight

[EricShane]

Darkness Surrounds Me, Again

that really speaks volumes

thats what I thought... *thats deep*

[ChangedByGod]

Mz Ethyl, Did I say or do somthing. I realy miss your stuff that was on here

[Jon_W]

Lord this darkness
surrounds me again,
once more

Lord I need You again,
in You I may
triumph and soar

Thank You for
Your comfort and peace
for me You send

I no longer have
to wallow in pity, or
my heart, rend

Trouble is all about me,
meant to bring
me down

I am reaching inside
for Your strength, the joy
that replaces my frown

If I have anything
inside me that
is not of You

Clean it out Lord,
allow Your Spirt to flow
freely through me too

Your peace that passes
all understanding
settles in me

You are for me
and not against me,
I'm so glad I finally see

Your grace is truly
sufficient for this moment,
in my life

This battle is Yours,
You are at work tearing
down this strife

I may relax in You,
as in me,
You do Your work

You shut the mouth
of the enemy
while in this murk

No longer am I
afraid of this darkness,
that desires to make me afraid

You are my Shepherd,
I shall not want,
You make me, I pray

So well spoken

Thank you

Wow, I like that one



Am I the only one that sees dots on alot of these posts or is that somthing thats just done here.

[Ashlee]

I think She deleted her posts and that's why there is dots.

[almondjoy]

Yes, she deleted her posts.