SO, YOU HAVE PROBLEMS
Today’s Reading: Mark 5
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
This is the hill on the east side of the Sea of Galilee that is said to be the place where Jesus encountered and delivered the demoniac. Jesus cast the demons into the pigs and they ran down this hill into the water and drowned.
GOOGLE MAPS – See where Reynold took the photo Click HERE.
Key Verse: Mark 5:15
Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.
Three more times the word “immediately” appears. That makes 17 times so far in Mark. Do you think God wants action? The man in our key verse had BIG problems! That’s an understatement. He was full of evil spirits, cut off from all human contact. He constantly tortured himself and could not be restrained because of demonic strength. His home was a graveyard. Jesus solved these fearsome destructive results of satanic activity with Words of deliverance. With what little free will this man retained, he chose Jesus! On the other hand, the local townspeople were afraid of what Jesus might continue to do. Obviously the pork business was a mainstay of their economy. According to the historian Josephus, there was a huge non-Jewish population in the Galilee at that time who, unlike the Jews, would eat pork. Their message to Jesus was, “Don’t mess with our finances.” What message are we sending Jesus today?
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, You are my Deliverer from ALL the works of the devil. In Your all-powerful NAME I am free and in my “RIGHT MIND.” You are welcome as Lord of my life, and Lord Mayor of our community. I yield to Your AUTHORITY in all things! Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
It was a Sunday night after service when several young people came to me and said, “Kenny is downstairs!” Kenny was experimenting with drugs and dabbling in the occult. His parents and grandparents were church members, but this 19-year-old was not attending church. There he was, lying on the floor, writhing like a snake. As Pastor, I sensed divine authority come upon me. I knelt beside him and commanded him to say the Name of Jesus. I heard “J…J…J…” and then “JESUS!” in a loud cry. Immediately, he was delivered. His Dad picked him up like he was still a child, and they hugged and we all cried for joy. Kenny became a minister, specializing in children’s TV.
Oswald J. Smith wrote a song, “When Jesus comes, the tempter’s power is broken.” It’s about the deliverance of the demon-possessed man. I encourage you to read and meditate on all the lyrics of this hymn (you can find them by clicking HERE). You can also hear it sung at a 1992 Billy Graham Crusade by George Beverly Shea by clicking HERE.
Yours because of the fact that “JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER” (Hebrews 13:8),
David
Then Jesus Came
One sat alone beside the highway begging
His eyes were blind, the Light he could not see
He clutched his rags and shivered in the shadows
Then Jesus came and bid the darkness flee
Chorus
When Jesus comes the tempter’s power is broken
When Jesus comes, all tears are wiped away
He takes the gloom and fills my heart with glory
For all is changed when Jesus comes to stay.
“Unclean! Unclean!” the leper cried in torment,
The deaf, the dumb, in helplessness stood near;
The fever raged, disease had gripped its victim
Then Jesus came and cast out ev’ry fear.
From home and friends the evil spirits drove him,
Among the tombs he dwelt in misery;
He cut himself as demon pow’rs possessed him,
Then Jesus came, and set the captive free.
So men today have found the Saviour able,
They could not conquer passion, lust and sin;
Their broken hearts had left them sad and lonely,
Then Jesus came and dwelt, Himself, within.
https://lyricstranslate.com
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 ESV
George Beverly Shea – Then Jesus Came (1992)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUg9jXswE8c&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Then Jesus Came
One sat alone beside the highway begging
His eyes were blind, the Light he could not see
He clutched his rags and shivered in the shadows
Then Jesus came and bid the darkness flee
Chorus
When Jesus comes the tempter’s power is broken
When Jesus comes, all tears are wiped away
He takes the gloom and fills my heart with glory
For all is changed when Jesus comes to stay.
“Unclean! Unclean!” the leper cried in torment,
The deaf, the dumb, in helplessness stood near;
The fever raged, disease had gripped its victim
Then Jesus came and cast out ev’ry fear.
From home and friends the evil spirits drove him,
Among the tombs he dwelt in misery;
He cut himself as demon pow’rs possessed him,
Then Jesus came, and set the captive free.
So men today have found the Saviour able,
They could not conquer passion, lust and sin;
Their broken hearts had left them sad and lonely,
Then Jesus came and dwelt, Himself, within.
Oswald J. Smith
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 ESV
George Beverly Shea – Then Jesus Came (1992)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUg9jXswE8c&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Amen Beverlee!
Everyone in the whole world needs Jesus Christ!
Praying that all may come to know Him in Jesus’ Name,
Amen!
Amen Joyce
Amen Joyce
Love this hymn, Beverlee. We had the privilege to attend Peoples Church and our children attended People’s Christian School from when it first opened. What a privilege we had. The song by Oswald J. Smith is so true and touches my heart. Thank You 🙏 Lord. Blessings all. (that hymn is page # 111 in the green “The Peoples Hymns” book.
Dear Lord God, please come by all these cities in the U.S. where there is so much mayhem. Delive people and bring them to their right minds, Lord, we ask in Jesus’s name, amen
Amen!
Thank You Heavenly Father, that we may pray together in volume on this blog for those suffering in the US as the result of political indignation. Please bring calmness to the uprise of people who are protesting against unfair racial treatment. Please bring an end to the stoking of culture wars and bring the democracy that is becoming lost back to their country. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Amen Beverlee
Amen
Yes Amen Rob
This is so powerful and reassuring as I continually pray for God’s mercy in my life.
God Bless all the prayer warriors.
That’s a great tribute to our Lord,sung by a man who walked close to Him.It was sad to realize that a great harvest was ending but who many seeds were sown by the Billy Graham Crusades?George,Billy and David are all together now with Jesus.”This world is not my home…”,it is just temporary.
I always wondered if Jesus ordered the pigs to jump in the lake because He so easily agreed to allow the demons to enter them?(He would not have to speak it.)
If I needed to know,it would be in the bible.God bless
Here is a good explanation in a more roundabout way, Bill:
“Reading through the New Testament, I came to the story of the demon-possessed man of the Gerasenes told in the Gospels of Mark and Luke. I thought it was a really powerful story, but I wondered about a couple of things. Why did the demons ask to be sent into the pigs, and why did Jesus allow the demons to go into the pigs? Could He not just have destroyed them?
The details you note have often been seen as a controversial part of the narrative. In response to your first question, several possibilities exist. The demons, who can do nothing without God’s permission, know they have been bested (see Mark 5:13). Perhaps they asked to be put into the pigs so they would have a bodily home for their evil activity and avoid being sent into the Abyss (place of torment). Or, perhaps, they wanted to continue their destruction, in the case of the pigs, knowing that would make trouble for Jesus. Demons are always bent on creating chaos.
The greater question is, as you note, why Jesus assented to this plan. After all, it does involve destruction of property and the livelihood of the pigs’ owners. Here is where we see the love of God for individuals. We have to remember that the point of the story is not to destroy the demons but to deliver the demonized man from their power (Mark 5:19–10; Luke 8:39). As one commentator has noted, by sending the demons into the pigs, Jesus was giving proof that the demons had left the man, which was a profound gesture of mercy. When the people in the area saw those pig corpses floating in the lake and the man clothed and sane, no one could deny what had happened. More significantly, the man who was delivered, in the most dramatic deliverance given us in Scripture, would know that those demons were gone for good and feel supreme relief.
BY DR. ROSALIE DE ROSSET
Dr. Rosalie de Rosset has been teaching at Moody Bible Institute in the Communications Department for over five decades. She is occasionally featured on Moody Radio. Rosalie is a published author, respected speaker, and talented writer. She lives on the northside of Chicago, a city she enjoys for its natural beauty and multi-faceted art offerings. https://www.todayintheword.org/issues/2017/4/qa/2/
Agree in prayer for all the needs expressed above especially the US and all their uprisings right now and mistrust. Always liked that beautiful song, “Then Jesus Came” Also remember the service I attended at People’s Church back years ago and hardly missed any of Rev. Charles Price’s good sermons and watch now as well. Prayed yesterday at 4pm which is 3pm I presume for most of you. Thank you for your faithful prayers for me yesterday saints. Thanks Beverlee for all your good posts.
Praying at 3 pm, Ger. I love Charles Price.
prayed at 3 pm
Prayed at 3 PM