Mark 5 ~ Healed

Mark 5

1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.

3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”

8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 

13 So He gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the pigs, and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and were drowned in the sea.

14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed [elsewhere rendered oppressed by demons] man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 

19 And He did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 

20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.”

24 And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 

29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, 

and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 

30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 

32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth.

 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing [ignoring] what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the 

synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 

37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. 

But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”

 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.

 43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

When you ride in an airplane at night seeing so many lights, representing so many people, it's difficult to understand how the LORD would care for so many.

The next chapter in Mark, Mark 6, contains the phrase "He healed them all." Yet today's passage, Jesus spent a lot of time going 8-13 miles, 13-21 km, in a sail/row fishing boat. Twice. It wasn't as if Jesus was going in search of crowds, or someone to teach. Jesus was going to Gerasenes. Just like Paul and the other disciples, in the Books of the Bible and early Church, listened to the Holy Spirit, Jesus had someone to see. Twice. And along the way, a woman reached out for Jesus - to touch just His garment.

Does it matter if we are the person Jesus planned to see today in our prayer life? No, Jesus would stop for the one reaching out to Him.

Luke 18:1

And he told them a parable to the effect 

that they ought always to pray 

and not lose heart.

John 5:17

Jesus said to them, 

"My Father is always at his work to this very day, 

and I, too, am working."

Father, Abba,

On the days we do not appreciate all of our blessings, help infuse our blessings into our heart, minds and soul. Let every blood cell carry gratitude in us to our Joy 

And the Joy of Jesus Christ.

Help us to gather wisdom without shrewdness. Let us have the joy of gladness in our fellowship without the endless gathering of resources and funds.

Lord, in Your mercy, send help, in these days of gloom and unhappiness. Let those of us having a good season shine the Light of Jesus Christ so gently and brightly the world is eager for Jesus Christ. Let those of us having a season of stress and sorrow, believe gently and bring the Light of Jesus Christ for all of us.

In the Great Love of Jesus, 

we all be saved as we put our trust in Him.

Bless You, Father, for Jesus Christ. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Jesus

Psalm 103 ~ Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name!

Psalm 103

 Bless the Lord, O my soul

and all that is within me,

    bless His Holy Name!

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

    and forget not all His benefits

3 Who forgives all your iniquity,

    who heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit,

    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

5 who satisfies you with good

    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The Lord works righteousness

    and justice for all who are oppressed.

7 He made known his ways to Moses,

    his acts to the people of Israel.

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,

    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

9 He will not always chide,

    nor will He keep His anger forever.

10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,

    nor repay us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

    so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him;

12 as far as the east is from the west,

    so far does He remove our transgressions from us.

13 As a father shows compassion to His children,

    so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him.

14 For He knows our frame;

    He remembers that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass;

    He flourishes like a flower of the field;

16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,

    and its place knows it no more.

But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting 

on those who fear him,

    and His righteousness to children's children,

18 to those who keep His covenant

    and remember to do His commandments.

The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,

    and 

His kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord, O you His angels,

    you mighty ones who do His word,

    obeying the voice of His word!

21 Bless the Lord, all His hosts,

    His ministers, who do His will!

22 Bless the Lord, all His works,

    in all places of His dominion.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

While riding in the car today, Christian Radio was discussing how we will turn from the hard and difficult news, during Historic Pandemic Recovery, and find our hearts warmed to have comfort. The Joy Jesus tells us is in this life.

The Power in the Living Word of God

 

Yahweh is not the Yahoo I literally thought in my early teens. He is so much more.  

The Richness and Depth of where we draw His comfort within us. Love.  The Truth that Yahweh sent us His Only Son, Jesus Christ, to end death. The bitter sting of an abrupt end of LIFE.

YAHWEH Saves. The Glory of His Kingdom. He tells us in His Nature, we are welcome to His Kingdom. So fascinating to think of our Loved Ones in His Kingdom. He is Heaven on earth, finding more souls to save.  An act occurring around us. Years and decades sometimes in the making. Others a sudden understanding of Jesus and His Promise. 

Yahweh Saves is both past, present and future. Hope for both the quick and the dead.  There isn't an abrupt stop, and there is not a hope for the days ahead. Living Hope.

His salvation is an ongoing work for Him.

Jesus must rejoice in the Holy Spirit. His feet would be so tired to move all across the fullness of the earth. To be the Holy Spirit appearing in the middle of a locked room or a locked heart, must bring Jesus Christ so much JOY.

Ezekiel tells us dry bones will live. What is hopeless is not at all difficult to God in His Planned time.

Yahweh is a Saving Cry. 

In the night. In the routine day of overwhelming events.  The father who cried out he had enough faith, Jesus, help him to have more. Jesus tells us we will be angry with Yahweh and believe He is a hard and uncaring Judge. Jesus never shrewdly tells the hurting, but only if you could believe more. Jesus never is petty about His Love. His timing is His own. 

The Disciples had to be genuinely upset at Jesus asleep in the Boat. They were long at asking, but believed Jesus would listen, and overcame a silent respect. To call SAVE US, JESUS!

Yahweh a Cry for Saving!

But our Lord is not One who rejoices in the sorrow of our hearts.

 Jesus spoke sharply to the Woman of Phoenician Cyrene. He wanted her prayer to be richer and more filled with what she was asking of God. She had to see, her needs might be so intense to her, but to the Lord God Almighty, is God. He, Who has so many children, she might be only the beloved pup sitting and waiting in the Lord's Planned Day. She could bring the Lord comfort in her appeal by giving Him some understanding of His Way. She, a child of God,  could be more like a beloved pet. A mercy instead of a nag. And could bring unconditional love and loyalty, being His Beloved.  Being humble to the Lord did not her life.

YHWH is a Cry for Help.

Elijah put all he had into being brave enough to die the day he confronted Ahab. Took on the prophets of Baal.  And after all of this ongoing heroic work for God, he could only be jazzed to have lived and seen the Miracles of God Himself. Instead, he was human. Tired, depressed, dejected.  And could not pull himself up by Elijah's boot straps.  Even in hearing God whisper, Elijah had to rely on God to have the faith to go on. He needed the Lord to carry him through that day to recover. When we can't do the impossible that looks like we should be able to do, we rely on Jesus to help us do the next step.

YHWY is my Help.

 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.

We read what the Saints suffered and wonder why God didn't stop the suffering. Why should we trust the Lord? Then we read about Hezekiah, not following in his father's doubt. We know John stayed with Jesus and saw many years of help and miracles. We read of the redemption of John Mark.  We find the lives so fruitful, Jesus and the Holy Spirit created a new world so quickly. And understand the JOY not defined in the hardship. Hope, faith and Love. The comfort of being told, I'm praying for you.

Abba, Father,

I believe the Pandemic Recovery Years have a definite

history of being nutty.

I believe the Pandemic Recovery Years 

will conclude as mankind learns kindness

and up building the Body of Christ.

I believe this will occur.

I really believe we all want this to occur quickly.

Father, I believe You help us.

Hold us in Faith, Father.

Hold families in Love and faith.

Help us to have expectation of healing.

Help us to be the Light of God

Shining. 

You never Leave or Forsake us

in all the Power of Yahweh.

Dwell in us to enrich us

as we cannot.

Dwell in those we Love

that they have Your Blessing

and know Your Love.

Help us to seek You first

and see the mercies each day,

looking to see healing around us,

not reported in the News,

but surrounding us. 

Help us to seek You

and see our Blessings.

And we will finish well

in Jesus Christ.

Thank You, Father God.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Jesus

John 8:56 ~ Abraham rejoiced to see My Day

Deuteronomy 18:15, 18

“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites, and you must listen to that prophet...‘I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will tell that prophet what to say, and he will tell the people everything I command him.’” 

Moses, painted by Rosencruz Sumera. The painting is interesting to see we are influenced by the media, even when it is from 1956 Cecil B. DeMille's movie "The 10 Commandments." Cecil DeMille chose Charlton Heston because of his uncanny similarity to Michelangelo's Horned Moses. Many artists depicted Moses with horns over a confusion between Hebrew words; Hebrew phrase "karnu panav" קרנו פניו. The root קרן may be read as either "horn" or "ray", 

as in "ray of light".

John 8:56

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: 

and he saw it, 

and was glad.

We have an idea, in faith, Moses spoke with the Lord. Isaiah saw the Holiness of His Heavenly Kingdom. Abraham was given Promises as he spoke with The Lord.

And then we, the children of God traveling His path, have the glimpses of Heaven, influencing our lives and making faith stronger, joy more evident in life, hope pervading.

Wesley Arning

St. Martin's Episcopal Church

May 9, 2023

My grandfather passed away two months ago, and I could not fall asleep the night I heard the news. I tossed and turned for a few hours; images of my favorite moments with him kept going through my mind. I had a tough time even wanting to pray that night. Instead, these images of him kept rolling through my mind. Sadness and joy kept moving back and forth in my mind like the ocean’s waves.

And then, a new image came to my mind. It is probably the closest thing I have ever had to a vision. It was like seeing the top of a grand painting and slowly moving down to see the whole picture. At the very top were the hosts of heaven in bright gold and yellow. Light and more light that signified the glory of heaven and all who were there. It was overwhelming.

I saw that the glory was surrounding Jesus who was on His knees, bending down. He was pulling someone up with both of His arms, like pulling a child out of the pool. The body He was holding in His arms was lifeless, but it appeared with Jesus’ touch, the man’s eyes were just about to open. Life was about to surge through his body once again. I realized that the man was my grandfather.

The picture opened up even more as I looked further down this grand painting. There I was, my body hovering in the air, one hand outstretched towards Jesus, my fingertips having just let go of my grandfather as Jesus picked him up. My body was stretched as I looked toward Jesus, but I realized I wasn’t alone. Below me was a group of people standing in a circle with their arms outstretched towards me. I knew all of them, they were family and friends, church members and old acquaintances.

And then I realized this was a picture of prayer. When we pray for someone, we come before Jesus and entrust them to His merciful care. We must let go so that our Lord can bring them into His glorious kingdom with saints and angels, and all those who have gone before us.

He is the Good Shepherd and He will care for His sheep in heaven and on earth, but we are not alone. There is the community of prayer that lifts us in our time of sorrow. The prayers encircle us as we go before the Lord, and hand over the ones we love but can no longer see. The community is the church on Earth, which, through this sacred action, connects us to the church in heaven.

And so, my brothers and sisters, pray without ceasing. 

The Rev. Wesley Arning

Associate for Young Adult and Small Group Ministry 

Psalm 18:29 

For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. 

 30 As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. 

He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him

Psalm 40:2

 

He lifted me up from the pit of despair, 

out of the miry clay;

 He set my feet upon a rock, 

and made my footsteps firm.

 

2 Corinthians 12:9,10

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me

Abba, Father

Bless us to stay close to Jesus.

To be like the Ten Talents Parable,

to trust the Lord's Goodness

and Mercy every day.

We ask the Lord's Pinions to cover us!

Dwell in us, Father

and with Your Help

What Jesus finds

will be loving!

Help us to Seek You First!

And we will finish well in Jesus Christ!

Let all of Creation

Pray with us now!

Revelation 5:13

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth 

and under the earth and on the sea, 

and all that is in them, singing:

"To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!"

We thank You, Father,
for Jesus Christ

and His Love and Mercy

Psalm 148:5-6

Let everything He has made give praise to Him. 

For He issues His command, and they came into being; 

He established them forever and forever. 

His orders will never be revoked.

Bless those we Love to be near Jesus the Lord God Almighty, 

the Son and Christ of God.

Bless this Nation to Trust in You and have Your Favor.

Help all the mass killings worldwide, 

the two in Texas

Brownsville and Allen

in gun control nations as well.

Japan, Australia, Europe and the UK.

Help the children in Foster Care to their full majority of adult years.

Bless Birth Control and Good Choices

to defeat Abortion.

Let Goodness overcome, thanks to Jesus Christ.

We ask in the Highest Name of Jesus. 

Bless the Nations of the world, coming to Your Brightness.

God Bless, Uphold and Sustain the Library of Congress

and Library Cards.

Bless the Children of God, by His Will, to ask You 

for more Heaven upon this earth.

And we are blessed indeed, indeed, indeed. 

Amen Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Jesus Lord God