Our One Prayer series has been a great time already. Yesterday we heard from Dino Rizzo, pastor of Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, LA, as he talked about "God is ... Here & Anything Can Happen". This was a powerful message. Just want to pass on a couple of parts that really touched my heart.
Mark 7:32-35 (niv) --- There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!" ). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
Jesus took time to touch this man. He pulled the dude aside and met his need. It was a personal touch. This shows how personal our God can get will get. He gives us personal treatment. Jesus cared so much for this fellow that Jesus chose not to embarrass him and chose to change his situation.
Dino said, "Power changed the man's problem but love transformed his life." That is good!
Mark 7:36-37 (niv) --- Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. "He has done everything well," they said. "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
When realize that God is real and really with us, life will change. The people around us will change. Nothing will be the same. In those two verse we learn a lot about what happens when people encounter Jesus. First, they won't keep quiet about it. I've seen that and love it. God continues to change lives, and the happenings will leave all who encounter Him changed. The second, thing that happens is the fact of people finally seeing who Jesus is and what He can do. Far too often we put Jesus in a box believing that he works the same way in all situations and with everyone. That is just not true. Jesus is able to do more.
We serve a God who wants to give us personal treatment and who will work miracles in our lives. Jesus can do anything!
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