Word for the Day October
11
By:
Evang. Cascille Hammack
"When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak
because she thought, 'If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed."
Mark 5:27,28
The woman in Mark 5:25-34 who had been very ill for twelve
years received healing because she drew near to Jesus. It is our responsibility to seek Him.
Verse 26 says, "She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead
of getting better, she grew worse." This is a common story today. The answer to everything we need is
in HIM. When she touched Him, "she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering." (verse 29)
Mark 5:30, "At once Jesus realized that power had gone out of Him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who
touched my clothes?" The woman trembling fell at His feet and told Him the whole truth. His Words to
her are for us now, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." (verse
34).
Regardless of what you are facing,
you must have faith to overcome. Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because
anyone who comes to Him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek Him.". We must
have faith in God. (Mark 11:22) When Jesus was in His own hometown "He could not do any miracles there, except
lay hands on a few sick people and heal them. And He was amazed at their lack of faith."
Just as this lack of faith hindered Jesus working miracles in His hometown, unbelief in the church hinders His power
today. Not believing His Word, denying the gifts of the Holy Spirit for today and rejecting God's standards will prevent
Him from demonstrating His kingdom power among His people. Believers must maintain a hunger for the Word and pray.
Romans 10:17 explains, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message
is heard through the word of Christ." You must also pray and have communion with the Lord. Jude 1:17-20
teaches, "But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In
the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide
you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, by building
yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love
as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life."
Faith means believing and trusting in the crucified and risen Christ
as our Lord and Savior. Romans 1:17 declares, "The righteous will live by faith." We must believe
with all of our hearts (Ro. 6:17, Eph. 6:6, Heb. 10:22) and yield our wills and commit our total selves to Jesus Christ.
There must be repentance. You must see your need of a Savior and be truly sorry for your sins. You must turn
from sin (Acts 17:30; 2 Cor. 7:10). When people asked Peter and the apostles what to do to be saved. Peter replied,
"Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off- for
all whom the Lord our God will call." (Acts 2:38,39).
When we receive Him, our faith in Him inspires obedience to Him and His Word. Faith and
obedience belong inseparably together (Romans 16:26). Faith without the commitment to sanctification is illegitimate
and impossible. Faith includes obedience to Jesus and His Word with a life inspired by faith, by our thankfulness
to God, and by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit (1 John 3:3-6; 14:15, 21-24; Heb. 5:8,9).
Let us remember as Romans 1:5 declares,
"Through Him and for His name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles
to the obedience that comes from faith." Faith is defined in terms of obedience (Ro. 1:5;
Ro. 16;26). Faith is joining one's life to God through Jesus Christ in love, devotion and gratitude (James 2:17;
John 15:10, 14; Heb. 5:8, 9).
When
we have faith in Him, we will obey Him and nothing will be impossible for us. Jesus said in Mark 9:23, "Everything
is possible for him who believes."