Energized and ready to go

The 2007 Youth retreat to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge was great.  Praise God for safe travel and lives that were changed.

It was a time for healing, renewal and bonding.   Father God met us there and many left there spiritually energized. (Physically, it might take me a while to recover from lack of sleep!  )))

During my quiet times, a theme kept reappearing in the book of Mark.  Specifically chapters 5 and 6.

Mark 5:17  “Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region”

Mark 5:35  “While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler, “Your daughter is dead,” they said.  “Why bother the teacher any more.”

Mark 6:3 “Isn’t this the carpenter?  Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon?  Aren’t his sisters here with us?”  And they took offense at him.”

These passages have a lot in common.  Jesus walked in theses cities performing miracles and changing lives.  Yet some still did not believe.

Are we asking Jesus to leave?   Are we so full of fear that we ask Him to leave and do not even know it?

 Mark 5:36 sums up the stand we should LIVE.

“Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “DON’T BE AFRAID; JUST BELIEVE.”

Doubt, fear, trials and temptations are NATURAL events and feelings in our lives.

These natural feelings should be overshadowed and conquered by our SUPERNATURAL, ALL-KNOWING, ALL-LOVING, KING OF KINGS, JESUS.

“Don’t be afraid, just BELIEVE!!!”

Gonna be gone for a few days..

I am preparing to on the annual youth retreat.   Please pray for God to reveal new truths to our kids and that He would renew those in the valley.

Speaking of the valley…My quiet time led me to Mark 5 this morning. 

Jesus was ministering to the people and was healing a demon-possessed man.

This man could not be shackled.  The people were terrified of him.

Jesus spoke to the demons and cast them into a herd of pigs.

After this miracle, the people “began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.”

They could see the Master and begged him to leave.

Later in chapter 5 he is with Jairus.   The people were negative and almost mocking Jesus and his effectiveness.

Listen to verse 36…”Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe.’”

Fear of displaying absolute, no-doubt-about-it faith is almost like asking Jesus to leave and questioning his effectiveness.

All I could hear this morning was “Don’t be afraid, just believe!”

Have a great weekend and I’ll be back on Wednesday to check and update my blog!!!!