God with us - Part 3

“I don’t have time to miss my opportunity to touch Jesus”- Pastor Aram

 Over the last few weeks, Pastor Aram has talked to us about shifting and changing our lives through the word of God. Connecting with Him so that we can have the presence of Him moving in us and through us.  We learned of the value of His presence in our lives and how we need to repent and confront our issues so that we may experience Him completely. Today, Pastor Aram taught us about the power of touch and how one encounter with Jesus can change everything.

 Have you ever attempted to take control over a problem in your life? I know I have. We work through all of the ways we think we can handle it and then we turn to God. We need to get to a point in our relationship with Christ where we turn to Him first. 

 Jesus is not our last resort but He is our only hope. 

 This brings me to our first scripture in Luke 8:40-48. The story starts with Jesus being welcomed by a crowd of people. Jesus’ popularity had grown to the point where it was hard for Him to go anywhere without drawing a large crowd. The Bible says that as He made His way through the town the people began to press in on Him. What happened next is truly amazing. A woman with an issue of blood for twelve years pushed through the crowd and made her way to Jesus where she stretched out her hand and touched the fringe of His garment and immediately she was healed. When Jesus felt this, He asked, “who touched me?” This seems like a silly question to ask when you are surrounded by a crowd of people. I am sure there were many people who touched Him, but He said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has flowed from me.” See something in her gave her the ability to touch Jesus in a way that no one else in the crowd did. She was able to touch Him in a way to make a withdraw from what was deposited inside of Him.

 What gave her the ability to touch Jesus like no one else did in the crowd? Faith! Before she saw Jesus, she said to herself, “If I can just touch His garment, I know that I will be made whole.” Your faith is able to reach out and unlock every blessing God has made available.

 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 

-Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)

We cannot walk by what we see or feel but walk by what the word says. The first step is to touching Jesus is to believe that He exist. Next we seek after His presence in our life.

“We have to value His presence so much that we are able to give everything up for it”-Pastor Aram

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 

-Matthew 13:44 (ESV)

(If you have time, take a second to read these verses in Psalms. Psalm 47:1 and 27:4. We need to make dwelling in the house of the Lord a daily journey)

First we believe. Secondly we must touch and pursue. When these two things happen what follows next is change. Notice when the woman with the issue of blood put action to her faith and pursued Jesus, the Bible says she was immediately healed. It is impossible for us to remain the same if we have truly been touched by Jesus. His will becomes our will. His desire becomes our desire and we begin to bear fruit that brings Him glory.

A touch is available to everyone.

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:14-16 (ESV)

Pastor Aram reminded us of the difference between mercy and grace. Mercy is forgiveness and grace is the enabling power of God for us to live the life we are called to live and not our own. How do we please God? By our faith and our fruit.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.

-John 15:5,8,10 (ESV)

We have to glorify our Father in Heaven. God wants us to be fruitful. What is seen through us is what brings multiplication to His kingdom. Obedience is key. Our flesh will never like what the word of God says for our life. Our carnal mind is the enemy of God. Today, let’s surrender every area of our life to God and build a foundation of faith on The Solid Rock.

Lord,

We need Your presence in our people more than ever right now. Let us touch others by producing good fruit and giving every area of our lives to You. Let us have an abundant amount of faith to put Your word first and begin believing in the power of You in us. Remove the fear from our carnal flesh. Give us strength, favor, and blessing so that we can testify of Your works in us. Change, rearrange, shift, and transform our hearts. We give praise to Your name. Thank You Father. It is well within our souls. 

In Jesus name, Amen