Wednesday, December 17, 2003

Real Life Lessons From The Bible

Real Life Lessons From The Bible

Gtcotr/ws121703

Our text tonight will be taken from:

Mark 5 (NKJV)

25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years,

26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.

27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.

28 For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."

29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.

30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"

31 But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’"

32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.

33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came 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 affliction."

A study of this account leads to some evident conclusions.

1. There are some troubles which will not get better without Jesus.

2. We are influenced by the people we listen to.

3. Life is a choice.

4. What we say to ourselves can determine our future.

5. Immediate results are possible.

6. We hold the key to the power of God.

7. Jesus wants us to tell Him the whole truth.

8. God is not looking for a reason to disqualify you.

I. Look For Jesus In Your Time Of Trouble

A. John 1

1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5 ¶ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

1. Comprehend - Take Full Account - Pay Attention - Accept

2. Satan is the prince of darkness, the father of lies

3. Break free of the darkness before it consumes you

4. Seek, Find & Follow the Word of God

Side Note About Following The Darkness - Choosing To Sin:

* 1 John 3

6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

A knowing and willful choice to go against the Word and Will of Almighty God is, according to scripture, an indication that this person is a child of the devil and has never comprehended God.

B. Revelation 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

He was, is and forever shall be The Word, The Final Word Of God.

II. Other People’s Influence

A. 2 Peter 2

7 ¶ (God) delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

B. 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."

C. Two Admonitions From The Apostle Paul

1. Romans 16:17 ¶ I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.

2. Philippians 3:17 ¶ Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.

III. Life Is A Choice

A. God is Pro-Choice

B. Do not mistake that for agreement

C. Do not mistake His loving kindness as a license to sin

D. There are no ‘Get Out Of Hell Free’ cards … it cost God His Only Son.

E. Deuteronomy 30:19 "Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live!

F. Joshua 24:15 ¶ But if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD."

IV. The Power Of Meditation - ‘What We Say To Ourselves’

A. Luke 7:39 … Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

B. Luke 12:17 "And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’

C. Luke 18:4 "And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man,

D. Proverbs 26:24 He who hates, disguises it with his lips, And lays up deceit within himself;

E. Genesis 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself,

F. Matthew 9:21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

What we say to ourselves can determine our future.

V. Some Actions Produce Immediate Results

A. Sometimes that’s good

B. Sometimes it’s bad

C. Be careful what you ask for, you may get it.

D. Even Jesus was cautious not to press for His own desire

1. Mark 14:36 “ … nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will."

2. Matthew 26:53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

E. John 6:21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.

* 55 times the word ‘immediately’ is recorded in AV

* Another 40 times for ‘suddenly’

VI. Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”

A. Multitudes were touching Him

B. But one person touched Him with faith

C. She had the key and she accessed the power of God

D. Our faith is the key to the power of God.

VII. Tell Him The Truth And Let Him Decide

A. Matthew 6:8b For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

B. James 4:1 ¶ What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?

2 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.

3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

C. Don’t hold back, tell Him the truth and let Him decide.

VIII. God Is Working, Hoping To Include Everyone

A. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

B. Mark 8

34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

C. Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Real Life Lessons From The Bible