Christ As Healer- Spiritual Bankruptcy

CHRIST AS HEALER

Spiritual Bankruptcy

Mark 10:46-52

Opening Prayer: Father, show me Your Truth and the way to freedom in You.  By Your grace open my wounds and do Your healing work in me.  Make me more like Jesus.  In Christ’s Name I pray.  Amen. 

FAITH

Faith is believing what you cannot see, taste, or touch.  So it was with Bartimaeus when He heard that Jesus was coming down the road.  In faith he cried to the One Who could grant him the mercy that he sought.  He looked to the One Whom he called the Son of David, the One Who held the hope of the messianic deliverance that the Jews had long expected.  He looked to Christ the Healer. 

As you describe the story and the healing of blind Bartimaeus, fill in your own name. Sense his feeling of relief as Jesus stopped, called Bartimaeus to Himself, and healed him.  Feel the joy and peace when he regained his sight.  Rejoice as he followed Jesus along the road as a testimony of the love and power of God.  

YOUR DESIRED HEALING

Bartimaeus said to the Lord “I want to _________”.  What is it that you want the Lord to do for you?  Take your desires to Him.  Let Him filter them through His hands of love and rain down His very best for you.  You will find that it will be exceedingly abundantly beyond all you can ask or imagine.  It will be just what you need. 

Consider these scriptures:

Luke 1:37 

I John 5:14-15

James 5:16 

Isaiah 55:8-9

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS

Like Bartimaeus, we are all spiritual beggars before the Lord.  We are blind and bankrupt in His presence.  We cry out for token blessings, but He has abundance awaiting us.  He has gifts and graces for us that we cannot imagine and blessings that we cannot conceive.  He has unconditional love for all He creates and He delights in showering us with His blessings.  He loves to show His love for us.

 His greatest gift to us is our eternal salvation, purchased through the sacrifice of His one and only Son on the cross at Calvary.  There He gave His all for our redemption.  There He became poor so that we might become rich in Him.  There He gave us His most precious gift of eternal life out of His love for us.  Despite our unworthiness, He lavishes this gift on all who choose to receive it.  He desires that none should perish and that none should spend eternity separated from Him and His perfect love.  He longs for us to become His child through Christ His Son.  He longs to grant us His mercy and grace.  He longs to show us how much He loves us by healing our brokenness and binding our wounds.  He just longs to love us.  

Consider these scriptures:

Ephesians 2:4-5

Ephesians 2:8-9

II Corinthians 8:9

Chronicle your own salvation experience, if you have already received Christ as your personal Savior.  Remember the peace of God that you first felt.  Praise God for reaching down from heaven to rescue you from the dominion of darkness and for transferring you into the kingdom of His precious Son.  

If you have not yet received Christ as your personal Savior, these scriptures tell the best news you will ever hear, for in Him there is hope and newness of life.  Read and discover how much God loves you and how He has done everything necessary for your life changing salvation and for the forgiveness of your sins.  Open your heart and mind to His love and His Truth and receive Him as your personal Savior.  The choice is up to you.  

Romans 3:23- “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Romans 6:23- “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 5:8- “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

John 14:6- “Jesus answered, ‘I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”

Romans 10:9-10- “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

If, after considering His Word, you desire to receive Christ as your personal Savior, speak to the Lord from your broken and contrite heart and repeat this prayer.  

Dear God, I realize that I fall short of Your standard of perfection.  I see my desperate need for You in my life.  Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to pay the price for all my sins.  I surrender my life to You and ask You, Lord Jesus, to come into my heart and be my personal Savior.  Thank You for saving me.  Show me how to be the person You want me to be and to do what You want me to do.  Thank You for Your gift of eternal life and the forgiveness of all my sins.  I am all Yours, for no one can ever snatch me out of Your hand now.  In Jesus’ Name I pray.  Amen. 

Welcome to the family of God!  You have begun the most exciting adventure of your life and you will never be the same, for the best is yet to come.

RELFECTING ON GOD’S WORD- What does each scripture say to you? 

Jeremiah 17:14 

Matthew 7:7 

Matthew 19:26 

Hebrews 11:1 

Closing Prayer:  Thank You, Lord, for the all-sufficiency of Your grace.  Thank You for saving me and for being Christ my Healer.  Complete your healing work in me and use it all for Your glory.  I love you, Lord, and I praise Your holy Name, the Lord God Who reigns on high.  In the Name of my Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I pray.  Amen. 

Christ As Healer

All of us are wounded, broken, and incomplete in some way.  Because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden, perfect fellowship with God was broken. Thus death and sin entered the world, making reconciliation with the Father impossible through man’s efforts.  Out of His love and mercy God sent His one and only Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for your redemption and the forgiveness of your sins.  He lived and died for each of us so that by His wounds you are healed. 

This study is a journaling experience toward the healings that you so deeply desire for the wounds, known and unknown, that you carry day after day.  Through the study of the healings by Christ during His earthly ministry, you can receive those healings.

Come abide with the Lord as you lay your burdens at His feet.  In His perfect love He has called you to this place and desires your healing as you seek Him in prayer and in His Word. 

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give 

you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am 

gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

By His wounds He will heal your wounds, for He has endured suffering beyond your understanding.  Fully surrender to His plan of healing in your life, for He will prosper you, not harm you, in the midst of it.  He will gently carry you through it all and you will be forever changed, becoming more like Him. 

So, come to the One Whose love endures forever and Whose desire is your complete surrender as a living sacrifice for Him.  As you come boldly before His throne of mercy and grace in your time of need, He will supply your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ.  

Come… He is waiting for you!

Where Are You?

Years ago the Lord made it clear that I needed to understand where I was in my walk with Him.  At that time I was going through a confusing time in my life and relationship with Him.  This spiritual inventory was the result of that encounter with Him.  When I filled it out and prayed about it, I came to realize the mile marker and my intimacy level with the Lord.  I urge you to print it out, fill it out and pray it out.  You’ll be amazed at His revelations to you in this simple exercise.  It certainly gave me a greater understanding of my relationship with Him and the plan He has for me.  What a great way to begin a new year of walking with the Lord!  

WALKING WITH THE LORD 

A Spiritual Inventory 

Date: ____________________________

PRAY BEFORE FILLING OUT.

1. How long have you been a Christian?

2. Do you have a life verse?  If so, what is it?  If not, ask the Lord to give you one.

3. What are your spiritual gifts and where are you using them?

4. Do you have a daily quiet time with the Lord?  What do you do during that time?

5. What do you consider to be the greatest blessing in your life right now?

6. What challenging times are you having in your life right now?

7. What is the most meaningful scripture(s) to you right now?

8. What is the most meaningful Name(s) of God to you right now?

9. What Bible character do you most identify with right now?

10. What scripture is your prayer for yourself right now?

11. What scripture is your prayer for your family right now? 

12. How would you most like to grow in the Lord in the next year?  

 COMPLETE YOUR TIME IN PRAYER.

Affirmation Of Faith

“…Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.”

John 2:22

Most people have heard of the Apostles’ Creed.  Many churches recite it or another creed like it each Sunday in their worship services.  Because it is so easy to say the words of the creed without pondering their true meaning, I am encouraging you to write your personal affirmation of faith.  By doing this, you will more fully understand the foundation of your Christian faith.  It becomes “yours”, one that you can more completely put into practice.  

Begin your time in prayer, asking for the leading of the Holy Spirit as you work.  As He leads and guides you, write your beliefs and the scriptures in His Word that confirm His Truth in your belief.  Should the Lord reveal an error in your perception of His Truth, be willing to take the discrepancy to Him, asking Him to show you His Truth so that you might embrace it.  As the Word says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)  Finally, once you have completed your affirmation of faith, make it a matter of prayer, asking the Lord to show you how to live it out as you walk through your days and how you can share it with others.  Praise Him for His gift of Truth and His faithfulness in revealing it to you.  He is a great, mighty, and awesome God!  

Writing your own personal affirmation of faith will deepen and enrich your intimacy with your Lord.  Humble yourself before Him and He will lift you up. (I Peter 5:6)  Let Him deepen your heart’s desire for Him.  He has given His all for you; may you now surrender your all to Him.  

This is my personal affirmation of faith.

  

Jesus Christ, the all-sufficient sacrifice for sin through the atoning work of His blood shed on the cross at Calvary, is the only means of eternal salvation.  This salvation is a gift of God received by grace through faith in His redemptive work.  Jesus Christ is God’s only Son, Who was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and was raised from the dead after three days for the forgiveness of sin and the gift eternal life.  At salvation the Holy Spirit is placed within a new believer as the deposit of the inheritance of God for His children.  Salvation is necessary because all mankind has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God through the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Him.  

The Triune Godhead consists of God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  This Godhead is omnipotent, omniscient, ever-present, eternal, and sovereign.  The one, true, living Godhead is self-existent, has no beginning or end, reigns supremely forever, and is Creator of all things.  They are perfect in all ways.  God the Father sits on the throne in heaven and rules over all things in majesty and power.  His Son Jesus sits to His right, following His life and death on earth, and His resurrection and ascension into heaven.  The Holy Spirit indwells those who have received Christ as their personal Savior.  

The Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, inerrant in nature and containing all that is needed to know God, believe in Jesus Christ as Savior, receive the Holy Spirit, and live a Godly life.  It is living, active, and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that God’s people will be equipped for every good work.  The Word of God is a lamp to our feet and a light for our path.  Through it God reveals Himself and His ways as the Holy Spirit teaches all things.  The Word of God lives forever.  It never returns void and always accomplishes the purpose for which the Lord sends it.  The Word of God is Jesus.

What is yours?

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”  Numbers 6:24-26

A New Twist

“See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”  Isaiah 43:19

“For the Word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  Hebrews 4:12

2014.  A new year with new lessons to learn from the Lord.  More emphasis on the teachings of His Word.  More emphasis on the daily application of His Word.  A new twist.  I can’t wait to see all He has to teach us.  May it all be to His greatest glory.  

Glory! Glory!

“being confident of this, that He Who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:6

“The One Who calls you is faithful and He will do it.”  1 Thessalonians 5:24

Your glory, Your power and Your Presence, have been so evident, Lord, as You have worked in and through all recent things in our lives.  Things like….

After 4 years, 3 months and 4 days You sold the home You gave us in  Montgomery.

3 months, 3 weeks and 2 days later You enabled us to close, not only on our house in Montgomery but also the new house You have given us in Benton.  

In only a little over 4 hours today the packing team of 8-10 men from our movers packed our entire house for our move to Benton.  

In the next 2 days You will have our earthly possessions put on a moving van and by mid-January You will have it all delivered to our new home in Benton.  

You have provided a couple in Benton who will be able to do some wallpaper removal and painting at our new home in Benton, some of which will be done before our possessions arrive.  

You have given our Allison some pain relief from her car accident.  

You have given our Ericka a new place to live that is just where You want her to be right now.  

You have made my Daddy’s heart sing as he awaits the soon-to-be homecoming of his second daughter and her sweet husband.  My heart is full as I thank You and praise You for taking me back to spend precious time with my Daddy before You take him Home.  What an indescribable blessing. 

All these things and so many more have Your handprints all over them, Lord.  It is an awe-inspiring thing to watch You work Your great and mighty acts at any time, but it is especially humbling and amazing when You do it for me and my family.  All I can do is kneel before You and try to find the words to say “thank You”.  It is all so overwhelmingly glorious.  All done for this piece of dust of Yours.  Glory!  Glory!

A Second

“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”  James 4:14-15

A series of events, Lord, has caused me to remember once again that life is fleeting.  A football game lost in the last one second of the game… the death of a 40-year old actor in a car accident… and the death of a friend’s close friend.  James says it so clearly.  Our lives are but a mist that is here for a while, then gone.  What a sobering and humbling Truth.  

Yet, Lord, what I glean from this reminder is the deeper understanding that all our days are numbered and ordained by You before one of them ever comes to be.  (Psalm 139:16)  Even more sobering and humbling.

So now it grows more imperative to me that I follow You with all my heart and go wherever You lead me.  I do not want to get to the end of my life and realize that my disobedience has robbed You of any glory You would have received if I had followed You obediently.  I am forgiven, I know, but my heart’s desire is to be all you would have me to be, do whatever You have for me to do and go wherever You take me.  The thought of doing anything else grieves my soul. 

Up and away with You again, Lord, so that I may be Your instrument of peace and grace as You live and work through me.  What a privilege… a sobering and humbling privilege.  Praise You.