The Path of Life

  

We are  to live by principle not pressure.

Mark 5:21-42  (NLT)

21 Jesus got into the boat again and went back to the other side of the lake, where a large crowd gathered around him on the shore. 

22 Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, 

23 pleading fervently with him. “My little daughter is dying,” he said. “Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.”

Jesus will never turn away from a desperate cry.

24 Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around him. 

25 A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. 

26 She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. 

27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. 

28 For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” 

29 Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.

30 Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?”

31 His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”

32 But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. 

33 Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. 3

4 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”

35 While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”

36 But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.”

Jesus does not forget about you in the mass of humanity.    

37 Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John (the brother of James). 

38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing. 

Jesus sees our situation from His heavenly perspective and reaches out His hands to help.  

39 He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.”

40 The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. 

41 Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,”which means “Little girl, get up!” 

42 And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed.

1. We must be desperate to get to Jesus.

Jeremiah 29:13  (NLT)

13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

James 5:16 B  (NLT)

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

You don't really know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.  Tim Keller.

2. We must be committed to staying with Jesus. 

Psalm 89:15 (NLT)

15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
    for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

Mark 5:36  (NLT)

36 But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.

Romans 8:28 (NLT)

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Sometimes when it seems like everything is falling apart, things are actually falling into place. Todd Mullins.

3. We must welcome Jesus in our homes.

Revelation 3:20 (NLT)

20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

Joshua 24:15 A, C (NLT)

15 But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

Transformation starts in the home.  What do we need to kick out, so Jesus feels welcomed?  We must kick out our disbelief. 

Colossians 2:8 (NLT)

8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. 

2 Corinthians 10:5 (NLT)

5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

Feed your faith and your disbelief will starve to death.

4. Allow Jesus to speak life over your home.

Change your words, change your life.  Joyce Meyer.

Proverbs 18:21 (NLT)

21 The tongue can bring death or life;
    those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

Psalm 141:3 (NLT)

3 Take control of what I say, O Lord,
    and guard my lips.

Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. Mother Teresa.

Think the best.  Be the best. Do the best for others. 

No matter how old or how challenging your circumstances are.  You can always start new in Jesus.

Tom Mullins, Church of the Highlands

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/the-path-to-life