Tag: luke 8

Hope Has a Name Part 2

THE INVITATION OF HOPE

THE CHRISTMAS STORY IS A BEAUTIFUL INVITATION. IT’S AN INVITATION FOR ALL TO COME AND SEE THE HOPE THAT HE HAS FOR ALL THOSE WHO COME TO HIM. IT’S AN INVITATION FOR ALL WHO ARE HURTING, WHO ARE HOPELESS, WHO HAS FEAR, WHO HAS SICKNESS AND WHO DOESN’T HAVE A SAVIOR.

THE NIGHT JESUS WAS BORN, THE HEAVENLY HOSTS WENT TO THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN TO LET A GROUP OF SHEPHERDS KNOW “A SAVIOR HAS BEEN BORN.” THE ANGELS MARVELED THAT CHRIST HAD COME TO RESCUE AND REDEEM, AND THEY LIT UP THE SKIES WITH THE THUNDEROUS PRAISE OF GOD. THAT NIGHT AN INVITATION WENT OUT: GO INTO BETHLEHEM TO SEE THE ONE WHO WILL BRING PEACE TO THE WHOLE EARTH.

LUKE 2:8-20

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

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“Glory to God in the highest,

    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over too Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

THE INVITATION FOR US TODAY IS TO COME ADORE THE ONE WHO BROUGHT OUR HEALING, OUR WHOLENESS, AND OUR PEACE WITH GOD.

COME, ENCOUNTER THE COMPASSION, COMFORT AND KINDNESS OF OUR SAVIOR.

COME, APPROACH WITH HEARTACHE AND BROKENESS WITH OUR WOUNDS AND OUR SCARS.

Hope has a name

Peace has a name

Joy has a name

His name is Jesus, Immanuel, God with us.

<p value="<amp-fit-text layout="fixed-height" min-font-size="6" max-font-size="72" height="80">COME, JOYFUL AND TRIUMPHANT FOR OUR VICTOR OVER SIN, HURT, AND PAIN HAS ARRIVED!COME, JOYFUL AND TRIUMPHANT FOR OUR VICTOR OVER SIN, HURT, AND PAIN HAS ARRIVED!

Desperation

I believe there’s a difference between things that are given to us and things that are available to us in the unseen or the spiritual realm (2 Cor. 4:18). What’s given are the things that are just handed to us and we often become complacent in them.

It’s easy to settle for a simple, yet surface-level life, a job that just provides, the so-called American Dream, or a relationship with Jesus that has no depth. However, things that are available are true satisfaction, healing, miracles, purpose, breakthrough, power, closeness to God, and joy.

Desperation causes us to look beyond what’s given. Desperation takes what’s available. It says, “There has to be more and I need it.”

The woman with the issue of blood that we read in Luke 8:43-48 was to say the least very desperate. She had spent her life savings just to find a cure but nothing helped. She had heard of a man named Jesus who was in town. A man who some claimed was the Messiah, but she was willing to just touch the hem of His garment to be healed.

She didn’t let the crowd that was pressed around Him stop her. She didn’t let the naysayers along the way to doubt her. She didn’t care about her social status, she was desperate.

There are times when we need to get out of our box of what’s “normal.” It might require undignified prayer, praise, fasting, and devotion. If we want to experience a touch from Heaven badly enough, we’ll do whatever it takes. Desperation makes a move.

What is one move you could decide to make today?

Rest

In Luke 8 beginning with verse 22, we hear of a story that is preached many times over and over, but are we missing the meaning of these verses? I know for myself and others that we can go back to the Bible and read the very same chapter and we will go over it next week or a little longer and there will be something that God magnifies to you different from before. What I had got out of this chapter and verse is that the disciples were awake when Jesus was sleeping. So?  When Jesus is resting we should rest, when He is healing we should be laying hands on the sick, when He is telling the good news we should be out telling the good news to those who sit out in darkness. I am impressed by the fact that He could sleep. His mind and heart were peaceful enough, trusting in the love and care of His Father in heaven, that He could sleep in the storm. Yes there was a storm but He new the care of His Father in Heaven until the disciples awoke Him.

That question was asked one day last week when I was laying in bed and had all these worries that I was thinking about like “What if” or “Is this possible”, those thoughts were quickly extinguished by the spirit saying over and over “rest”…”rest”

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We all have payed more attention to the waves instead of Jesus at times, but how can you not? You have this huge mountain that is not moving, it’s there you think for good. Or is it?

“And they awoke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”

The disciples were filling “un-easy” and they immediately went to Jesus, ask yourself this how many times have you went straight to Jesus in your trials?

“And He awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?”

Are we resting in Him? Giving Him our everything? Where is your faith?

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