FAITH series I - What incurable situation are you in today?

Mark 5:25-34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1-NIV)

Today our devotion is about an anonymous woman who had an abnormal problem and she came to an awesome Jesus for healing.

What did her faith do to her? If you read Mark 5:25-34, the story speaks about a woman who had an abnormal problem- bleeding for 12 years. It is not 12 days or 12 months, friends it is 12 years. Now that is an abnormal problem.

Her problem was so abnormal that Jesus mentioned her as the "Bleeding woman. " Her story is mentioned in three gospels: Matthew 9: 18-26, Mark5:25-34, Luke 8:40-56.

She did not have money, health, riches, name, fame or anything when she came to see Jesus, all she had was FAITH. Mark 5:28 "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." The word "If I just" is what changed her life. When she was out of her money, when she did not have any hope of healing and life, that is when she hears about Jesus. Many of us have heard about Jesus, but we are not willing to go to Him to touch Him.

Friends this woman who has no name sought after a God whose name is Jesus.

She suffered a great deal with an incurable condition, it is not just a normal menstrual period. Doctors could not heal her. Her problem became worse and did not get better.

This is a condition that made her bleed constantly because she had a menstrual disorder that has made her ritually and ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 15:25-33) anything this woman comes in contact will become unclean as well. (Leviticus 15:27)

That is why this woman was afraid to touch Jesus like the other crowd had the freedom to touch Him. She had a very private problem, nobody would have known what she was battling with except herself. She could have just gone with a lot of courage to touch Jesus and ask Him to heal her in front of everyone just like the other people did. But she knew that no one knew her problem expect herself and God.

I don't even know if she had any family during her sickness. Maybe her husband left her to suffer alone. Maybe her friends deserted her.Maybe no one were there to be with her as she was unclean according to them. I don't know in what situation she was in. No one might have even known that she was bleeding.

She never wanted anyone to notice her touching Jesus lest they will humiliate her and embarrass her that she is unclean and she should not be touching Jesus. She thought that her touch would affect Jesus' That is why she secretly touched the hem of the garment of Jesus. She was afraid to touch Him thinking He will become unclean. That is why she goes from behind Jesus to touch Him. This shows how much she loves Jesus. She did not want the crowd to blame Him for touching her. Jesus can never become unclean. He is a pure and a holy God. He came to this earth to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He came to make us pure like Him. He came to seek the impure heart to make pure hearts, worthy of His love.

She touched Jesus and she believed in her heart that she would be healed. That is the faith she has- If I can just touch His robe, I will be healed. She never doubted the faith she had in Jesus. She knew that Jesus was the great healer. As soon as she touched Jesus, she was healed instantly. She could feel in her body that the bleeding stopped. The kind of faith she had was "touching faith" All she thought to herself was "If I could just touch".

Her Constant bleeding stopped at an instant touch.

As soon as her bleeding stopped, Jesus realizes that His healing power had gone out of Him. He became poor to make us rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9 (King James Version)
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. Jesus became poor to make us rich! He immediately questions the crowd: "Who touched my robe?" Don't you think Jesus knew who touched His robe? Of course He knew. He gave the woman a chance to publicly come forward to confess. Jesus wanted to show everyone in the crowd that this woman is not unclean anymore. Maybe so her friends and her husband who might have abandoned her would know she is clean now.

She came out in the public before the crowds to confess that she was the one who touched Jesus.
She was frightened, she was trembling with fear and she just falls on her knees in front of Jesus and tells Him what she had done. She does not have anything to give to Jesus, she spent all that she had for doctors. All she had was a broken and a contrite heart full of faith.

What an honest heart !! She finally comes in touch with the Light of the world. She was in darkness for twelve years and now she is face to face with the Light of the world. Her darkness has become light. Her mourning has turned to dancing.

Jesus immediately calls her "daughter" He immediately acknowledged her, her sincerity, her helpless estate, her darkness, her sickness, her anguish and I can only picturize this scene! Jesus would have embraced her and kissed her and called her "daughter".
He not only called her daughter, He reiterated to her that it is her faith that made her whole and also He asked her to go in peace and He freed her from her suffering.

1 John 1:9 (King James Version)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

Think about these two words "If I could just" and "If we confess"

Friends, He is a faithful God and He will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness-provided we confess. Jesus wants us to come to him, to draw nigh unto him, to just come to him just as you are.

He was impressed with her faith. Unlike in all the miracles Jesus himself went to touch the people to heal them, raise them from the dead, but Jesus did not touch this woman. She touched Him. It is not the method, however, that brought about her healing; it was her faith.

Let us therefore intimately introspect our lives today. What is your situation today? What embarrassing situation are you in today that is making you not to go to Jesus? We need to be like this anonymous woman with faith in an awesome God who healed her. We need to go to Jesus first before we ask Him to come to us to make us whole.

What secret sin is holding you back from coming to Jesus. Friend, He knows it all. Just come to Him, touch the hem of His garment, He will heal you and make you pure and holy and presentable.
Have your friends abandoned you? Have your loved ones left you? has your doctor failed you?
Is your bank account empty after repeated treatments? Come to this father who is ready and willing to embrace you to call you His son, His daughter.

Before you consult anyone, consult Jesus- the great healer.

An anonymous woman, an abnormal problem and an awesome Jesus. What linked her to Jesus? Her faith in Him.

What did faith do to this woman?

• Faith changed sickness to health


• Faith changed her darkness to light


• Faith changed her peacelessness to peacefulness


• Faith changed her secret suffering to public joy


• Faith changed her uncleanness to cleanliness


• Faith changed her fear to courage


• Faith changed an anonymous woman to be called the daughter of Jesus


• Faith changed her embarrassment to embrace

Friends, have faith, implement faith in your daily life, see what a FANTASTIC ADVENTURE IT IS TO TRUST IN HIM. He alone is the author and perfecter of our faith.

In closing, I would like to add these words:

When you pray,Pray till you touch GOD.When you praise,Praise till you please GOD.When you seek,Seek till you find.When you find it,You will know itYour face will show it You will aglow it.

Be Blessed and be a blessing.

What is your testimony on Faith? (Part I & II ) Are you living an accomplished life just like the Heroes of Faith?(Part II)

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Hebrews 11 Chapter: Testimony on my Fantastic Adventures in Trusting Him
We have read yesterday about FAITH (Fantastic Adventure In Trusting Him) How many of us can share testimonies on FAITH?

Last Saturday as our daughter Jordan was ill, we had taken her to see the Doctor and on our way home, myself and my husband were contemplating to buy her some warm winter clothes.

Jordan was fast asleep in her car seat and it was cold outside and my husband said to me "Zion, let us wait until Monday to buy Jordan her winter wear". Both of us have learnt to depend on God for anything that we need. We never want to spend money on anything without praying first. I agreed with my husband, we came home. Sunday night we have invited our cousins for a farewell dinner as they were leaving for India. Silas & Elizabeth walk into our home with a Walmart bag in their hands. They hand it over to me and said "Here is something little for Jordie, as we haven't bought anything for her eversince she was born. To my surprise and as an answer to our prayer, I see an Old Navy turquoise winter jacket, two pairs of gloves and a little winter cap! I called my husband and told him what had just happened and he said to me " Now you see, this is what happens when we wait patiently on the Lord for all that we need".

Did you get goose bumps reading this little testimony? Friends, our God knows our heart. Even before you ask Him, He knows our needs. When He can take care of our very little needs like winter clothing for our children, don't you think, He will take care of big issues in your life?

All that He asks of us is to have FAITH! He wants us to believe in Him, Believe in His character, believe in His promises.

The story does not end there. On Monday there was a knock on our door, and I saw a FEDEX truck outside and thought it was my very good friend, Amanda who works for FEDEX. I ran down the stairs to open the door for her, and lo and behold, I see a FEDEX delivery agent standing at the door with a box. He said to me: "Ma'am this parcel is for Jordan Spurgeon, please sign your name and print your last name" I did what he had told me to do and he handed the parcel to me.
I come upstairs and myself and my husband opened the box and see a box full of lovely clothes for Jordan. Friend of ours sent her a box full of clothes just perfect for her size.
How many days did it take for God to answer our hearts desire? He took just 3 days. My husband has immense faith and all he told me to do was " WAIT". All I did was obey him and trust in the Lord.

Most of us are blessed with godly husbands, men who walk with the Lord. How many of us as wives are obedient to our husbands?Do we get frustrated when we are asked to wait? Do we start complaining and arguing that the task has to be done now?! We have to understand that God has given us husbands to be our head. Firstly Jesus is the head of the house, then comes our husbands. We need to submit to them to live peaceably, in harmony and unity. Godly submission and humilty always yields peace and joy in a family. Submission avoids conflict.

I do that many times. I want the work to be done immediately. I cannot wait. God has taken me through a process of teaching to wait on Him. Not just wait. To wait patiently.

When we trust in God and His goodness, He will never fail us. He will fulfill the desires of our heart.
Faithful is He that has called you and He will do it. That is the promise that the Lord has given to my husband when he was called for Full-time ministry. I hold onto that promise everyday of our lives. God takes such brilliant care of us. He never lets us go hungry nor will He leave our children destitute. He will not let the righteous go hungry (Proverbs 10:3)

Friends, I can share so many instances like that in our walk of faith. Everyday is a new day, new mercies, new grace, new joys.

How many of us depend on God even for our smallest needs? Who would pray and ask God for a little winter wear for their child? Does that amaze you? God provides. He is an on time God. God is never too early and never too late. He is just on-time.

By faith myself and my husband got married, by faith we had Jordan, by faith we have come to Murfreesboro. Not to forget, we are saved from eternal death because we have faith in God and that He died for us on the cross.

If a normal person like myself could have so many accomplishments in my life, how much more have the heroes of faith accomplished in their life?
You can post your testomonies on faith in my blog so that people will be blessed through your own personal testimonies. The above two testimonies are just a few of many in my very own life.
To be continued....

DEVOTION FOR OCTOBER 17TH (Which Hero of faith are you imitating?)

I would like to write to you about the accomplishments that all the heroes in the faith hall of fame had because of their faith in God.

• Faith earned Good reputation to all the heroes in the faith's hall of fame (Hebrews 11:2)
• Faith brings Understanding (Hebrews 11:3) that God has created the universe
• Faith makes you bring an acceptable offering to God just like Abel (Hebrews 11:4)
• Faith made Enoch see God without dying. Enoch walked with God. Enoch had close fellowship with the Lord for 300 years Genesis 5:22 God took Enoch without death because Enoch pleased God Hebrews 11:5)
• Faith makes you walk with God just like Enoch
• Faith pleases God (Without faith it is impossible to please God- Hebrews 11:6)
• Faith saves your family (Noah's ark was built by faith to save his family from flood- (Hebrews 11:7)
• Faith makes you receive Righteousness from God (Hebrews 11: 7- Noah received righteousness from God because of his faith.
• Faith makes you take any risk even leaving your own possessions, and home in obedience to God's call (Abraham's faith is the risky faith- Hebrews 11:8)
• Faith makes you live in foreign lands just like Abraham(Hebrews 11:9)
• Faith makes you look for eternal foundations, a city designed and build by God (Hebrews 11:10)
• Faith changes your barrenness to fruitfulness (Sarah's Faith) - Sarah believed that God would keep His promise (Hebrews 11:11)
• Faith births nations (Abraham and Sarah's faith - Hebrews 11:12)
• Faith makes you see the promises from a distance to welcome them (Hebrews 11: 13)
• Faith makes you to offer your most precious possessions even your own children to God (Abraham's offer to sacrifice Isaac when God was testing him - (Hebrews 11:17)
• Faith made Abraham believe that even if Isaac died, God would bring him back to life.(Hebrews 11:19)
• Faith made Isaac to promise blessings for the future to his sons Jacob and Esau-Hebrews 11:20)
• Faith made Jacob bless Joseph's sons when he was old and dying (Hebrews 11:21)
• Faith makes you confident of your future(Hebrews 11:22- By faith Joseph said that the people of Israel would leave Egypt)
• Faith makes you wise (Hebrews 11:23) Moses' parents hid him for three months
• Faith makes you bold (Hebrews 11:23- Moses' parents were not afraid to disobey the King's command.
• Faith makes you protect your identity (Hebrews 11:24-Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter)
• Faith makes you to share oppression of God's people (Hebrews 11:25)
• Faith makes you suffer for Christ (Hebrews 11:26- Moses thought that it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt)
• Faith makes you courageous (Hebrews 11:27) Moses left the land of Egypt not fearing the King's anger
• Faith makes you move forward without looking back (Hebrews 11:27- Moses kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the invisible God than on the visible king)
• Faith saves you from eternal death(Hebrews 11:28- By faith Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the passover and sprinkle the blood on the door posts so that the angel of death would not kill their first born sons)
• Faith makes you cross over Seas (Hebrews 11:29) God enabled the Israelites to cross over the Red sea.
• Faith brings the walls down (Hebrews 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell)
• Faith protects you (Hebrews 11: 31 -Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed)
• Faith overthrows kingdoms (Hebrews 11:33) Joshua and Deborah overthrew kingdoms (Judges 4-5)
• Faith makes you rule with justice (Hebrews 11:33)
• Faith makes you receive what God has promised you (Hebrews 11:33)
• Faith made Daniel shut the mouths of lions (Daniel in the Lion's den)
• Faith quenches the flames of fire (Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego-were kept safe from the flames of blazing furnace (Daniel 3)
• Faith made prophet Elijah escape from death by the edge of the sword of Queen Jezebel (Elijah escaped death from Queen Jezebel -I Kings 19:2)
• Faith turns your weakness to strength- Gideon was strong in battle (Judges 7)
• Faith made women receive their loved ones from death: (Hebrews 11:35) A widow's son was brought to life by prophet Elisha (2 Kings 4:8-37)

Friends, we too can experience the benefits and the victory through faith in Christ. All of the heroes in the hall of faith's hall of fame did not achieve all that they have in their life if they did not have faith in Christ. They all believed in God and because of their trust in God and because of their faith in him, they all had tried the fantastic adventures in their life.None of them had an easy life. All of them, every single one of them mentioned in the list above have endured hardships and have come out as victorious people that is the reason why they are all listed in the faith's hall of fame. Everyone of them played a role that the Lord asked them to play. What is the role you are asked to play in this life?

Our victories will be directly related to the role God wants us to play.

Are you playing your role well? Are you playing your role with faith? We cannot please God without faith and faith comes through hearing God's word. We can experience outstanding victories only if we have faith. Having a steadfast faith in God does not guarantee us a happy life with no struggles. This life is full of struggles and that is why God is asking us to have faith to overcome anything in this world. We are more than conquerors. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. Do you believe that God will fulfill His promises in your life? He has fulfilled His promises in my life and I am sure He will fulfill the promises He made to you as well.

We can never get justice on this earth. I once heard Pastor David Jeremiah preach on forgiveness and he said this in his sermon " I will never get justice on this earth for all the wrong a person has done to me, but I will sue him in the courts of heaven" Let us not take judgement into our hands, let us not take revenge into our hands, let us allow God to handle the justice, because He is the only fair God we have who will give us the justice that no one else can give us.
Do you have faith in Him? We need to confidently trust in Him no matter what. The Heroes of faith did not receive all that they were promised because they all died before Christ came. Yet they trusted in Him. In God's plan, we all will be rewarded together (Hebrews 11:39 & 40)
Let us therefore intimately introspect our lives today.

What is your faith like ? What is your faith making you accomplish? Are you afraid that you will lose your job? Are you afraid of your death? are you struggling with infertility? God has changed Sarah's barrenness to fruitfulness and he has made her and Abraham the parents of nations. Are you struggling to walk with God? Are you struggling to bring an acceptable offering to the Lord? Are you afraid of your enemies? what is it that you are struggling with?

Accept this awesome Lord into your life, experience His love, have faith in him and you will see how fantastic it is to go on an adventure in trusting Him. God did wonders for me. Even though I was faithless, He was faithful to me. He is the faithful God. He never changes. If he turned around the lives of our forefathers, He can turn around yours and mine. He did it for me, a wretched sinner, a hopeless woman with an uncertain future. He turned my life around. He turned my barrenness to fruitfulness. All I had was "FAITH" in Him and His promises. He promised to give me double honor instead of shame, He promised to give me beauty for ashes and He kept up his end of the bargain. Are you keeping yours? Walk with Him daily. Enoch did it for 300 years. Let us take Enoch's example and walk with God daily experiencing His love, His blessings and His presence. What HERO of faith is your life like? Faith earned good reputation for all the heroes of faith no wonder they are in the faith's hall of fame. What is your reputation like?

God had laid on my heart to write to you about different characters in the Bible that have seen wonders because of their faith. I would be continuing my devotions on faith.

My tomorrow's devotion will be on the anonymous woman who was suffering from an abnormal problem who was healed just because she had faith in an awesome God!

Anonymous woman, abnormal problem, awesome God!

Be Blessed and be a blessing