Take My Hand . . . Stay a While
Many times when Jesus healed someone in the Bible,
He told them to get up or to go after He had touched them.
He performed the miracle of healing and was simply on His way.
But other times, He did just the opposite:
He took their hand.
It seems as though He wanted to savor the moment.
Here are a few examples:
• When Jesus brings Jairus’ daughter back to life: “Jesus took her by
the hand. . . .” (Luke 8:54 NLT).
• When He healed the 10 lepers, He asked the one who returned
where the other nine were (Luke 17:11-19).
• After Jesus healed the blind, mute demoniac, He lingered while the
healed man spoke to the crowd (Luke 11:14-23).
So sometimes after God ministers to us, He wants us to GO, yet
other times He wants us to wait . . . to hold His hand . . . to simply
BE with Him.
The question is: How do we know when to do what?
Last week, when I wrote about going, Sherry left this remark in the
comments section: “It’s so hard to discern between ‘get up and go’
or ‘be still and wait!’ ”
She makes a great point, doesn’t she?
Know this: It won’t be the same for us each time we hear from God.
(We’ll chat more about this next week.)
But we can rest assured that God’s will is not a mystery.
He’s not playing the guessing game with us.
He wants us to know His will even more than we want to know it!
Remember, however, that He is not on our timetable.
You’ve heard the old saying, “God is never early—but He’s never
late.”
When you’re trying to decide whether to “stay still” or to “go,”
saturate yourself in prayer. It’s a FACT . . . He will guide you.
Thoughts?
Care to share how God has guided you?
I’d appreciate your prayers March 16-21 as I speak in Newcastle, IN.
Get Going!
Many times when Jesus healed someone in the Bible,
He told them to get up or to go after He had touched them.
• The paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5).“Get up.”
• Another paralytic man in Matthew 9. “Get up.”
• The woman with the diseased blood (Luke 8). “Go in peace.”
• A leper (Mark 1). “Go.”
• The blind man (Mark 8). “Jesus sent him . . .”
• A man who was born blind (John 9). “Go.”
• The man who had dropsy (Luke 14). “He sent him on his way.”
• The 10 lepers (Luke 17). “Go.”
In each of the above situations, Jesus didn’t hold their hands
and pull them up or guide them home. He healed them—
and in His strength, they moved.
But THEY had to move.
Often we pray about a specific area in our lives in which we
desire God to work. He’s always willing to help us—but that doesn’t
mean He will do the moving FOR us. He wants US to get up.
He brought Lazarus back to life, but He didn’t carry him out of the
grave. “Lazarus, come forth!” Lazarus had to get up and go.
Is there something you’ve been praying about but haven’t actually put
your prayer into action? It could be that God has touched you, but
NOW you need to respond by moving.
Thoughts?
Please pray for me this week as I speak in Science Hill, KY.
To Pray . . . or Not
Do you realize that prayer is our greatest weapon
against satan? He fears prayer. It sends him and
his demons running.
There is power in prayer!
When we pray in the name of Jesus,
we are tossing grenades at satan.
Prayer is also our greatest connection to Christ.
Aren’t you glad His line is never busy?
Every time we pray in Jesus’ name,
we enter the Kingdom of heaven.
And our prayers make a difference.
Do you believe that?
Truly believe that?
Could your friends and loved ones have had a better day
yesterday if you’d prayed for them?
Have you considered that NOT praying for someone
can be a sin?
“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin
against the LORD by failing to pray for you.” (1
Samuel 12:23 NIV)
Kind of makes you want to make prayer a priority, doesn’t it!
Thoughts?
I’d appreciate your prayers for me this weekend as I speak in Topeka,
KS.