Luke 13:10-17

Introduction: Do you ever feel bound down with hurts from the past? Without a breakthrough, it can get you down not only emotionally but also physically as well as spiritually. In turn, our relationships can be damaged, and remain that way, unless we allow Jesus to show up and loose us from what holds us down.

1. Those Women who desperately need to be “LOOSED” from Satan’s POWER! (Luke 13:11)
“And he was teaching in one of the synagogues in the sabbath. And behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could  in no wise lift up herself.”[The word “Infirmity” is astheneias, which means lack of strength.]
[The word “bowed together” is sunkupto, which means a curvature of the spine.]

    • Loosed from the hurts of the Past

    • Loosed from the heavy burdens of the Present

[The word “Loosed” is apoluo, which in the Greek means to stay loosed.]

      • Jesus saw her – He sees us

      • Jesus called her – He calls us

3. Those Women who have been divinely “LOOSED” by Jesus’ PRESENCE! (Luke 13:13)
“And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God……And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan hath bound, lo these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?”

      • The devil’s crowd horrified

      • The woman electrified

“Why I Love my BIBLE”
Do you? Not mine, Yours!
Psalm 119

Introduction: Do you eat at least one meal everyday? What if you went one, two, three, or four weeks without eating?  You’d probably get weak, sick, and possibly die. In the same manner, how long can a CHRISTian go without feasting on the truth of GOD’S WORD? “One WEEK without the Word…..makes one WEAK!” Here are (7) reasons why you & I need to be fed by the “Word of God” everyday:

1. We need to be fed by the Word of God because it REVIVES us! (Psa 119:25, 40, 88, 107, 149, 154, 156, 159)
“My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.”

[The Hebrew word for “Quicken” is chayah, which means to revive, to have life, to be restored]

• The Word brings you back to life when you’re down
• The Word of God restores us during difficult times
• The Word of God is the catalyst for Faith (Rom 10:17)

2. We need to be fed by the Word of God because it STRENGTHENS us! (Psa 119:28)
“My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according to thy word.”

• When we feel weak, God’s Word gives strength
• When we face fear and insecurities, the Word of God releases power

3. We need to be fed by the Word of God because it gives us HOPE! (Psa 119:43)
“And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.”

• The Word of God gives HOPE in this life (Rom 15:13)
• The Word of God gives HOPE in the life to come (1 Cor 15:1-58)

4. We need to be fed by the Word of God because it keeps us from BACKSLIDING! (Psa 119:67)
“Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.”

[The Hebrew word “astray” is Shagag, which means to err or sin ignorantly or inadvertently]

• The Word of God is like a mirror (James 1:23)
• The Word of God convicts and corrects (2 Tim 4:1-8; 2 Tim 3:16, 17)

5. We need to be fed by the Word of God because it’s more VALUABLE than money! (Psa 119:72)
“The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.”

*Money can buy you rubies, but not redemption
*Money can buy a nice home, but not a home in heaven
*Money can buy you fancy clothes, but it cannot buy you a robe of righteousness

• It takes money to live, and there is nothing wrong with having it – as long as it doesn’t have you! But, there are some things more important than money!
• Money is not evil…. the “love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim 6:10)

6. We need to be fed by the Word of God because it makes us WISE! (Psa 119:98)
“Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.”

• Wisdom is found in Jesus (1 Cor 1:30, 31)
• Wisdom is available if we ask (James 1:5)
• Wisdom “Sophia” is gained through the knowledge of God’s Word (Prov 8)

7. We need to be fed by the Word of God because it GUIDES us! (Psa 119:105)
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

• The Word of God is like a flashlight shining in the dark!
• The Holy Spirit of God uses the Word of God to direct our steps so that we can be in the will of God! (Rom 8:14; Psa 119:130; Prov 4:18)

Conclusion: Doctor Jesus recommends a consistent/daily diet of His balanced TRUTH: The WHOLE BIBLE

***Notice these Spirit-led devotions include both OLD TESTAMENT Scripture, as well as NEW TESTAMENT Scripture, which is made applicable to our daily lives***

“Thou art my hiding place”

Introduction: Have you ever been in a major storm needing a “Hiding Place”? It’s an eerie feeling when the tornado sirens are blasting and the winds are howling, and a twister is on the ground nearby. What do you do? You run for shelter… “A Hiding Place” – a place of safety! Jesus is our “Hiding Place.” Just like David, we need a “Hiding Place.” We can extract (3) reasons we need a “Hiding Place” from Psalm 32.

1. When Jesus is our “Hiding Place,” He brings about a TRANSFORMATION! (Psa 32:1-5)
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and whose spirit there is no guile….When I kept silence, my bones waxed old…thy hand was heavy upon me: I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.”

[The Hebrew word ***”Transgression”(Pesha) means defiant disobedience.
***”Sin” (chataah) means missing the mark.
***”Iniquity” (avon) means distortion of what is straight.
***”Guile” (remiyah) means deceit, fraud.
***”Forgive” means take away, cancel a debt.]

2. When Jesus is our Hiding Place, He promises to be our PRESERVATION! (Psa 32:6-9)
“For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble.”

[“Hiding Place” (seter – pronounced say-ther) means shelter, secret, protection]

• “Hiding Place” of communion – with prayer (v 6)
• “Hiding Place” from trouble (v 7)
• “Hiding Place” of guidance – counsel (v 8)

3. When Jesus is our “Hiding Place,” He creates within our heart a CELEBRATION! (Psa 32:10, 11)
“Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.
Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.”

• Happiness comes from the Lord (v 11)
• Holiness in the heart expresses Happiness (v 11)

2. How are you doing in this SEASON of your life? (Eccl 3:3,4)
“A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”

• What time is it IN you?
• What time is it in those AROUND you?
* Make the most of your time! (Eph 5:16)

“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.”

Introduction: How many of us would like to “Increase Our Faith”? Do you need “increased faith”? Perhaps we all do! Extraordinary Faith is available for ordinary believers….who believe BIG! “Faith” in Jesus does not mean everything always turns out the way we want it to. Rather, “Faith” in Jesus means we trust Him no matter what (see Heb 11:1-6). Like the New Testament disciples, we must learn to depend on His Word regardless of the circumstances. Luke, the historian and physician, recommends (3) remedies for EXTRAORDINARY FAITH!

1. Why do we need EXTRAORDINARY FAITH? (Luke 17:5)
“And the apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith.”

• Because of our problems {What’s yours?}
• Because of God’s promises {Do you know them?}

2. When can we expect EXTRAORDINARY FAITH? (Luke 17:6)
“And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.” {Sycamine tree is sometimes translated mulberry}

• Faith in the Old Testament demonstrated
* Abel
* Enoch
* Noah
* Abraham
* Jacob
* Moses
* Joshua
* Gideon
* Deborah
* Ruth
* Jeremiah
* Elijah
* Elisha

• Faith in the New Testament illustrated
* Centurion (Matt 7)
* Syrophoenician woman (Matt 15)
* Sinful woman (Luke 7)
* Lydia
* Barnabas

3. How can we have EXTRAORDINARY FAITH? (Luke 17:6)
“If ye…have faith as a grain of mustard seed.”

• Look back to God’s Provisions
• Look forward to God’s Vision

1. When can we EXPECT a REVIVAL? (Psa 138:7)
“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me.”

• When we return to our 1st Love (Psa 138:1, 2)
• When we return to the Word of God (Psa 138:2)
• When we get humble before God (Psa 138:6)

2. How can we tell we need a REVIVAL? (Psa 138:7)
“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me.”

• When we neglect prayer
• When we neglect soul winning
• When we lose our passion for spiritual things

Conclusion: These trying and troubling days are requiring God’s people to be full of FAITH and RESURRECTION POWER in order to flesh out the Christian life. But He is our source! Revival is possible… daily as we abide in Him.

Mark 2:1-16

Mark’s gospel records (3) ways to tell if you are a REAL FRIEND:

1. REAL FRIENDS bring their friends to Jesus! (Mark 2:1-4)
“And they come into him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was born of four….and when they could not come night unto him….they uncovered the roof….they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.”

2. REAL FRIENDS bring their friends to Jesus to be forgiven, because they’ve been forgiven! (Mark 2:5-11)
“When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”

• Jesus saw their faith (Faith moves the Master)
• Jesus forgave his sin

3. REAL FRIENDS bring their friends to Jesus, then they find FREEDOM! (Mark 2:1)
“And immediately he arose, took up the bed…they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.”

• Jesus heals spiritual sickness
• Jesus heals physical sickness

Introduction: Have you asked the question….”Where in the world are we heading?” Do you ever wonder, “what’s on the other side?” I’m glad to tell you that we can have assurance & confidence when we TRUST in the Lord that He will both provide and guide all the days of our life. The book of Deuteronomy is called the 2nd law. Why? Because Moses was giving instructions to the younger generation (Israeli people) about entering the promised land. You’ll recall due to their unbelief (Num 13, 14), they could not enter into the place of rest (Heb 3, 4) that God had promised them. Unbelief always short circuits the power and provisions of God (Heb 11:6)! As with the children of Israel (even though the Church does not REPLACE them), we can identify with their dilemma today in (3) ways:

1. Where we are heading today are PLACES we have never been before! (Deut 11:10)
“For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out.”

• Egypt, a PLACE of bondage
• Canaan, a PLACE of Victory

2. Where we are heading today are PLACES that will have its UPS and DOWNS! (Deut 11: 11)
“But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven.”

• Uphill battles to fight
• Downhill valleys to walk

3. Where we are heading today are PLACES to see the WATCH-CARE of our Lord! (Deut 11:12)
“A land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.”

• God will take care of us
• God will watch over us

“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?”

Introduction: These are “TROUBLED TIMES”! Yet, our Lord Jesus Christ has blazed a trail before us with His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection; furthermore, His daily PRESENCE within us, along with His PROMISE to come back for us empowers every believer with hope and assurance for not only abundant living, but also eternal life. Paul gives CHRISTians (4) ways to trust “Triumphant Truths for Troubled Times”!

1. Christ-centered IDENTIFICATION! (2 Cor 2:14)
“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.”

• Brand new Love
• Brand new Lord
• Brand new Life

2. Faith-based TRANSFORMATION! (2 Cor 2:14)
“And maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”

• Living by Feelings
• Living by Faith

3. Spirit – filled PARTICIPATION! (2 Cor 2:15)
“For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish.”

• Imitation
• Participation

4. God-honoring MANIFESTATION! (2 Cor 2:16)
“To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life.”

• Fresh fruit
• Rotten fruit