Let Peace and Healing In your life

How to Deal with Pain (and Let Peace and Healing In)

Ronnie Floyd | RonnieFloyd.com

 

Thursday, April 26, 2018

 

There is a lot of pain in America. In the last five years, Americans have lived under great stress, deep division, nuclear threat, terroristic intimidation, political unrest, gender confusion, multiple crises, endless tragedies, mass shootings, and continual revelations of sexual harassment and unethical behavior.

While some members of older generations hang their heads in discouragement, some members of the younger generations raise their fists in defiance. At times, some of the media serves as the wind that fans the flames of all generations. Pain is piled upon pain and sooner or later it either oozes out slowly or flows out swiftly.

With the Backdrop
Today I write with the backdrop of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting that cost the lives of seventeen innocent people. We see this pain revealed through crying, shock, and anger. Additionally, I have to deal with my own pain as I watch our nation hurt so deeply. Many times, tears fill my eyes for our nation.

4 Actions Americans Can Take with Our Pain

1. Ask yourself the tough question: 

What is happening with me right now?

 Rather than gaze at others and their pain, look inward and ask yourself what is happening within you. Identify your own personal pain:

• Am I scared?
• Am I angry?
• Am I disappointed?
• Am I worried?
• Am I fearful?

Be honest with yourself. Discover what is happening within you. This is the first step to understanding and resolving your feelings.

2. Confess you want Jesus Christ to be #1 in your life.

Beginning with Jesus is beginning with the Truth. I am speaking about the Truth of God’s Word, the Bible.  Recognize that when the Bible speaks, Jesus speaks. He is speaking these real words to all of us.

• Jesus is compassionate: “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
• Jesus is calling: “Come to Me.” Matthew 11:28
• Jesus is comforting: “…all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
• Jesus is commanding: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:19

3. Permit Jesus Christ to minister to your personal pain.

When you permit Jesus Christ to minister to your personal pain, see what occurs.

• Peace replaces fear.
• Freedom replaces bondage.
• Calm replaces stress.
• Hope replaces despair.
• Joy replaces sorrow.

I am thankful that Jesus ministers to our personal pain like no one else.

4. Place confidence in a trusted person.

Everyone needs a safe person to share your feelings with; what I call a true and trusted friend. This trusted person could be:

• Your spouse
• Your teacher
• Your coach
• Your minister
• Your friend
• Your mom or dad, or both of your parents

This person receives you for who you are and does not judge you or anything you say. Therefore, place confidence in a trusted person.


A Final Consideration
When we handle our pain in the proper way, God frees us from our own negativity and destruction. This is why we need the Lord.
Jesus is still the answer for our lives today.

Now is the Time to Lead and to Pray for America,
Ronnie W. Floyd

Senior Pastor, Cross Church
President, National Day of Prayer

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Editor's Note: This article originally appeared on RonnieFloyd.com. Used with permission.

Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the Senior Pastor of Cross Church, President of the National Day of Prayer, founder of the Cross Church School of Ministry, and host of the Ronnie Floyd on Life and Leadership Today podcast.

Freedom or not - it is a choice part 1 .

27 April 2018
by Kermit Obermeyer 
 
This is from a FB post about the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution. 
Stay with me as we analyze and show the valid reasoning; thru both Pros and Cons.

It all comes down to freedom of choice vs total control. People were made free agents so as to choose either right or wrong (evil). But most governments want to limit or remove your freedom with laws and attempt to control every situation {which is not possible}. 

When will they learn that you can not make other people think and act the way you want or desire - with laws and regulations? 
Because it comes down to having Moral values and knowing Right (The Lord God Word) from wrong or having a totally self centered (evil) and often greedy life style. 

Stop back as the truth is presented in an orderly and open easily understood way!.

Think on these things

 

 

The Secret: Law of Attraction

by: Paul Milligan

 

Everything that comes into your life you attract.

 The things you are thinking about, whatever

you meditate on, ruminate about,

or worry about you are attracting into your life.

 

One percent of the population makes 96 percent of all income.

 The law of attraction is attracting at the level of thoughts; 

what you think about most you become.

 

Mark 6:52 (KJV), brackets mine –

For they considered not the miracle of the loaves

: [they did not think about the miracle]

for their heart was hardened.

 

Luke 6:45 (KJV)  –

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth 

forth that which is good; and 

an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth 

that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart

his mouth speaketh.

 

Proverbs 23:7 (KJV) –

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; buthis heart is not with thee.

Thoughts become reality. Most people think about what they don’t want and then wonder whyit shows up over and over again.

 

Romans 4:17 (KJV) –

(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,)

before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

The law of attraction is working wherever thoughts are flowing.

What you think about, you bring about.

God has designed into the law of attraction a time delay. 

Andrew’s son was raised from the dead.

Andrew was tempted to grieve, but instead he began to praise God and joy came. 

Our emotions indicate what we are thinking about.

Philippians 4:8 (KJV) –

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are

honest, whatsoever things are just,, whatsoever things are pure,

whatsoever things are lovely,

whatsoever things are of good report; 

if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, 

think ont hese things.

Dr. Kim Newsletter Apl 2018

Dr. Ben Kim's Natural Health Newsletter
Thursday April 26, 2018

Dear Reader,

Many thanks to all who continue to share feedback on
our resources, including suggestions for future content.

One of the most common requests has been for a follow-
along mobility workout for seniors and others who enjoy
a gentle and conservative approach to improving joint,
muscle, and ligament health.  If this type of workout
interests you, please feel free to try our latest routine
here:

https://youtu.be/hEuU151vo_8

When it comes to exercise, there are two principles
that I tend to share with anyone who asks for guidance:

1.  Do only what leaves you feeling better afterward.

2.  Don't push yourself through fatigue or pain.

Not exactly material for the next Nike or Adidas campaign,
but a sensible approach for people of all ages who aren't
training to be professional athletes.  And even profesionals
and elite amateur athletes are likely better off over the
long run if they consistently heed these principles.

If you're relatively new to our readership and have interest
in other follow-along mobility workouts, I hope you find one
or more of the following to be helpful:

30-Minute Full-Body Mobility Workout:

https://youtu.be/x91x9-FP6BM

5-Minute Wrist and Elbow Mobility Workout:

https://youtu.be/CgJgyYjOdMc

15-Minute Core and Lower Body Mobility Workout:

https://youtu.be/N-hqVJHqKgE

18-Minute Cardio and Mobility Workout:

https://youtu.be/KLr7FPROP20

6-Minute Balance and Lower Body Mobility Workout:

https://youtu.be/PeqcdZf41V4

While at our YouTube channel, you can freely subscribe to
receive notifications whenever new workouts are posted.  And
if you have any requests for videos that address a specific
area of physical health, please share via the comments section
below any of our videos.  Many thanks to all those who have
supported the development of our archive of mobility exercise
videos.

He loved God’s Word.

5 Things You Should be Doing with God’s Word

Michael J. Kruger

President, Reformed Theological Seminary

Psalm 119 is an amazing Psalm. Not only is it the longest Psalm (176 verses!), but it is also the Psalm that deals the most directly with the topic of Scripture. Virtually every verse, in one way or another, refers to God’s Word.

David (who is most likely the author) uses a variety of terminology to describe God’s Word: commandments, law, statutes, precepts, ordinances, rules, words, testimonies, etc. These all refer to the Scriptures as they existed in David’s day (essentially the Pentateuch).

Thus, Psalm 119 is one of the best examples of Scripture speaking about Scripture. It is the Word about the Word.

And in it, we find David interacting with the Word of God in five ways that should be paradigmatic for all believers:

1. Trusting the Word of God. Time and time again, David expresses his belief that the Scriptures are true (v.151). He believes in them (v.66). He trusts in their reliability (v.42). He states: “The sum of your word is truth” (v.160).

This first step is key. If a believer doesn’t really regard the Word of God as being fully and entirely trustworthy, then none of the other steps below will follow. This is why the church needs to be quick to deal with the repeated criticisms of the Bible that so often permeate our culture.

2. Studying the Word of God. David doesn’t just believe the Word; he is a student of the Word. He learns it (v.73), he seeks it (v.155), he has memorized it (v.153), and regularly meditates on it.

This step ought to naturally for the follow the first one. If God’s Word really is true, then we ought to commit ourselves to being diligent studiers of the Word. We need to embrace it with our minds, as well as our hearts.

3. Using the Word of God. It’s one thing to believe and know the Word. It is another thing to rely on it. To look to it as a guide during the difficulties and challenges of life. To lean on it for encouragement and hope.

David repeatedly affirms that he uses the Word of God as a “counselor” (v.24), to give “strength” (v.28), and to bring “comfort in affliction” (v.50). He states, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (v.105). In short, the Word of God is the very source of life for David (v.156).

This reminds us a very important attribute of God’s Word: it is alive. It is powerful and active. When we talk about the attributes of Scripture, we must remember that it is more than just a true book (encyclopedias can be true). It is also a living book. It is the place where the God of the universe meets us and manifests himself.

4. Delighting in the Word of God. What is amazing is that David takes things one step further than we might expect. It’s not just that he trusts, studies, and uses the Word of God. He actually has affection for it. He has a deep emotional affinity towards it.

He “loves” God’s Word (v.159), he “rejoices” at his Word (v.162), the Word is “wondrous” (v.18), it is “better than thousands of gold and silver pieces” (v.72), and “sweeter than honey to my mouth” (v.103).

I am convinced that this is the missing piece for most believers today.  For many, the Bible is viewed almost in a utilitarian fashion—it is a mechanical, sterile tool that Christians are supposed to use. It’s like taking your medicine.

In contrast, David has passion, zeal, and excitement for the law and commandments of God. And the reason for this is not hard to find. David loves God’s law not because he is a closet legalist. He loves God’s law because the law reflects God’s own nature and character. He loves God’s law because he loves God—and who God is and what he is like.

Any Christian who says they love God but then despises God’s law is living a life of contradiction. Indeed, they are living a life that is the opposite of Psalm 119. To love God is to love his law.

5. Obeying the Word of God. Not surprisingly, the prior four characteristics naturally lead to this last one. David repeatedly expresses his desire to actually obey God’s law. He wants to follow it, keep it, and fulfill it.

In our world today, the concept of “obeying the law” is not a popular one. Many see this as contrary to grace. However, two things should be kept in mind. One, David is not keeping the law in order to earn salvation—he is obeying out of love for God. He is obeying out of a heart of faith.

Second, we should remember that Jesus himself was very much about “obeying the law.”  Before we too quickly despise the concept of law-keeping, we should remember that Jesus delighted in keeping his Father’s law. And he kept it absolutely perfectly—for us. He obeyed on our behalf, and his righteous status is imputed to us by faith.

Indeed, Jesus embodies all five of these characteristics. He trusted, studied, used, delighted in, and obeyed God’s Word. In fact, he did all these things even more than the first David. While David certainly serves as an example of what to do with God’s word, Jesus is the ultimate example. One greater than David has come. 
And He loved God’s Word.

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For more, visit Dr. Kruger's website: Canon Fodder.

5 choses que vous devriez faire avec la Parole de Dieu

 5 choses que vous devriez faire avec la Parole de Dieu 
Michael J. KrugerPrésident, Séminaire théologique réformé 

Le Psaume 119 est un psaume incroyable. Non seulement c'est le Psaume le plus long (176 versets!), Mais c'est aussi le Psaume qui traite le plus directement du sujet de l'Ecriture. Pratiquement chaque verset, d'une manière ou d'une autre, fait référence à la Parole de Dieu.David (qui est probablement l'auteur) utilise une terminologie variée pour décrire la Parole de Dieu: commandements, loi, statuts, préceptes, ordonnances, règles, paroles, témoignages, etc. Tout se réfère aux Écritures telles qu'elles existaient au temps de David ( essentiellement le Pentateuque).

Ainsi, le Psaume 119 est l'un des meilleurs exemples d'Écriture parlant de l'Ecriture.C'est la Parole sur la Parole.

Et en cela, nous trouvons David interagissant avec la Parole de Dieu de cinq manières qui devraient être paradigmatiques pour tous les croyants:1. Faire confiance à la Parole de Dieu. À maintes reprises, David exprime sa conviction que les Écritures sont vraies (v.151). Il croit en eux (v.66). Il fait confiance à leur fiabilité (v.42).
 Il déclare: "La somme de votre parole est la vérité" (v.160).

Cette première étape est la clé. Si un croyant ne considère pas vraiment la Parole de Dieu comme entièrement et entièrement digne de confiance, alors aucune des autres étapes ci-dessous ne suivra.C'est pourquoi l'église doit être rapide pour faire face aux critiques répétées de la Bible qui imprègnent si souvent notre culture.

2. Étudier la Parole de Dieu.David ne croit pas seulement à la Parole; il est un étudiant de la Parole.
 Il l'apprend (v.73), il le cherche (v.155), il l'a mémorisé (v.153), et médite régulièrement dessus.Cette étape devrait naturellement suivre la première.

 Si la Parole de Dieu est vraie, alors nous devrions nous engager à être des étudiants diligents de la Parole.

 Nous devons l'adopter avec nos esprits, ainsi que nos coeurs.

3. En utilisant la Parole de Dieu. C'est une chose de croire et de connaître la Parole. C'est une autre chose d'y compter. Pour le regarder comme un guide pendant les difficultés et les défis de la vie. S'appuyer sur elle pour l'encouragement et l'espoir.

David affirme à plusieurs reprises qu'il utilise la Parole de Dieu en tant que «conseiller» (v.24), pour donner de la «force» (v.28) et apporter «le réconfort dans l'affliction» (v.50). Il déclare: "Ta Parole est une lampe à mes pieds et une lumière sur mon chemin" (v.105). En bref, la Parole de Dieu est la source même de la vie de David (v.156).

Cela nous rappelle un attribut très important de la Parole de Dieu: elle est vivante. C'est puissant et actif. Quand nous parlons des attributs de l'Écriture, nous devons nous rappeler que c'est plus qu'un simple livre (les encyclopédies peuvent être vraies). C'est aussi un livre vivant. C'est l'endroit où le Dieu de l'univers nous rencontre et se manifeste.

4. Se réjouir de la Parole de Dieu. Ce qui est incroyable, c'est que David prend les choses un peu plus loin que ce à quoi on pourrait s'attendre. Ce n'est pas seulement qu'il fait confiance, étudie et utilise la Parole de Dieu. Il a réellement de l'affection pour cela. Il a une profonde affinité affective à son égard.

Il "aime" la Parole de Dieu (v.159), il "se réjouit" à sa Parole (v.162), la Parole est "merveilleuse" (v.18), elle est "meilleure que des milliers de pièces d'or et d'argent" ( v.72), et "plus doux que le miel dans ma bouche" (v.103).

Je suis convaincu que c'est la pièce manquante pour la plupart des croyants aujourd'hui. Pour beaucoup, la Bible est considérée presque de manière utilitaire - c'est un outil mécanique, stérile, que les chrétiens sont censés utiliser.C'est comme prendre vos médicaments.En revanche, David a de la passion, du zèle et de l'excitation pour la loi et les commandements de Dieu. Et la raison de ceci n'est pas difficile à trouver. David aime la loi de Dieu, pas parce qu'il est un légaliste de cabinet. Il aime la loi de Dieu parce que la loi reflète la nature et le caractère de Dieu.
 Il aime la loi de Dieu parce qu'il aime Dieu - et qui est Dieu et à quoi il ressemble.Tout chrétien qui dit aimer Dieu mais qui méprise la loi de Dieu vit une vie de contradiction. En effet, ils vivent une vie qui est l'opposé du Psaume 119.
 Aimer Dieu, c'est aimer sa loi.

5. Obéir à la Parole de Dieu. Sans surprise, les quatre caractéristiques précédentes mènent naturellement à ce dernier.David exprime à plusieurs reprises son désir d'obéir à la loi de Dieu. Il veut le suivre, le garder et l'accomplir.Dans notre monde d'aujourd'hui, le concept d '«obéir à la loi» n'est pas populaire. Beaucoup voient cela comme contraire à la grâce. Cependant, deux choses doivent être gardées à l'esprit.Premièrement, David n'observe pas la loi pour mériter le salut - il obéit par amour pour Dieu.Il obéit à un coeur de foi.

Deuxièmement, nous devrions nous rappeler que Jésus lui-même avait beaucoup à cœur d '«obéir à la loi». Avant de mépriser trop vite le concept de maintien de la loi, nous devrions nous rappeler que Jésus se réjouit de respecter la loi de son Père. Et il l'a gardé absolument parfaitement - pour nous.
 Il a obéi en notre faveur et son statut de justice nous est imputé par la foi.En effet, Jésus incarne toutes ces cinq caractéristiques. Il a fait confiance, étudié, utilisé, aimé et obéi à la Parole de Dieu. En fait, il a fait toutes ces choses encore plus que le premier David.
 Alors que David certainement - exemple de quoi faire avec la parole de Dieu, Jésus est l'exemple ultime. Un plus grand que David est venu. Et Il a aimé la Parole de Dieu.
 Pour plus, visitez - Pour en savoir plus.

visitez : 
le site Web du Dr Kruger: Cannon Fodder.

Paul's 4th Missionary Journey?

The Fourth Missionary Journey: What Happened to Paul after Acts?

The Good Book Blog

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Talbot School of Theology at Biola University

By Kenneth Berding

“Paul’s fourth missionary journey? I thought he went on three missionary journeys!” Yes, according to Acts, Paul embarked on three missionary journeys. Then he was imprisoned in Palestine for a couple years, transported under guard via ship to Rome (a journey that included a shipwreck on Malta), and spent a couple more years under house arrest in Rome. End of story? No. That is where the book of Acts ends, but it is not the end of the story. There are enough biblical and historical hints floating around to allow us to reconstruct some of what happened next. As a result of such a reconstruction, perhaps we ought to start talking about Paul’s fourth missionary journey.[1]
There are good reasons for every item included below. The order, however, is somewhat uncertain. But I will place the events of Paul’s fourth missionary journey in the sequence I find most plausible.

• Paul appeared before Nero some time during his house arrest in Rome. (God had promised Paul in a vision in Acts 27:24 that he would stand before Caesar.)
• Paul was released by Nero. (You see Paul expecting to be released in Philemon 22, and perhaps in Philippians 1:19–26. The early church historian Eusebius writing about AD 325 supported this with his claim that Paul’s martyrdom was not during the period described in the book of Acts, see H.E. 2.22.6).
• Paul had planned to visit Philemon (Philemon 22). But since Colossae was the opposite direction from Spain, and since we have some reason to believe that Paul traveled to Spain right after Rome, my guess is that Paul decided to forgo the visit to Philemon until after he completed his mission to Spain.
• So, Paul traveled to Spain. Such a ministry trip had been part of his original plan way back when he wrote Romans five or more years before (Romans 15:22–29). Clement, writing around AD 95 in Rome, tells us that after Paul “had preached in the East and in the West, he won the genuine glory for his faith, having taught righteousness to the whole world and having reached the farthest limits of the West” (see 1 Clement 5.5–7). The “farthest limits of the West” in the mind of a Roman could occasionally refer to Gaul or Britain, but usually meant Spain. Would a church leader in Rome, writing only 30 years after Paul’s martyrdom in Rome have made a historical mistake about Paul traveling to Spain? It is far better from the standpoint of historiography to assume that Paul did, in fact, travel to Spain and minister there. (Compare also the Acts of Peter and the Muratorian Fragment, both possibly composed toward the end of the second century, and both of which also affirm a journey to Spain by Paul).
• We cannot know for certain, but based upon Paul’s former plans (Romans 15:22–29), as well as because of the distance of Spain from Rome (4–10? days by ship), Paul probably stayed some time in Spain preaching and teaching.
• Perhaps on his return from Spain, Paul sailed to the island of Crete where he engaged in ministry alongside Titus. When Paul departed Crete, he left Titus to appoint elders in the cities that held believing communities, some of which were probably planted by Paul and Titus (Titus 1:5).
• The order of events after this gets increasingly difficult. I would suggest that after Crete, Paul traveled to Ephesus where Timothy was serving. During Paul’s time in Ephesus, the following events occurred: 1) Paul encountered strong opposition from someone named Alexander the coppersmith (2 Tim 4:14), 2) he faced a large-scale falling out with believers in Asia, including Phygelus and Hermogenes (2 Timothy 1:15), 3) he received help and encouragement from Onesiphorus (2 Timothy 1:18), and 4) he urged Timothy to remain in Ephesus to correct false doctrine (1 Timothy 1:3). It may be that Paul also followed through on his previously stated intention to visit Philemon in Colossae (Philemon 22). On this last point, there is no way to know.
• After this, I think everything else may have happened in fairly rapid succession without any long stays anywhere. Paul left Ephesus with the intention of traveling to Macedonia (1 Timothy 1:3). But before Paul traveled to Macedonia, he wanted to visit Miletus for some reason, and so he (walked? took a ship?) south with Trophimus to the nearby port of Miletus. Trophimus unfortunately became too sick to travel any further (2 Timothy 4:20—at the time he wrote these words, Paul apparently still didn’t know what had become of Trophimus). Paul thus left Trophimus behind in Miletus when he booked passage (I’m assuming he traveled by sea) on a ship heading north toward Macedonia. The ship would have stopped at Troas, so Paul left some things there with Carpus, including his cloak and books (2 Timothy 4:13). Since Paul left his cloak, we may infer that it was summer or nearing summer.
• We know almost nothing about his time in Macedonia, but, as with his previous visit there at the end of his third missionary journey, he likely worked his way through Macedonia, ministering and visiting with believers in places such as Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, and eventually made his way down to Corinth. Somewhere along the journey either in Macedonia or Achaia, he started planning his winter months in the warmer city of Nicopolis on the west coast of Achaia (Titus 3:12). Paul wrote a letter to Titus (Titus 3:12), and perhaps his first letter to Timothy, while making plans to winter in Nicopolis. Corinth would have been the ideal place from which to send a letter to Crete (Titus) and a letter to Ephesus (1 Timothy), so my guess is that these letters were sent from Corinth. Paul sent Artemas or Tychicus to relieve Titus on Crete, an action Paul was hoping would make a way for Titus to join him during the winter months in Nicopolis (Titus 3:12).
• Paul left Erastus in Corinth (2 Timothy 4:20; Erastus was anyway from Corinth, see Romans 16:23) and headed north and west toward Nicopolis, where he hoped Titus would join him.
• Now, we really don’t have any idea where Paul was arrested. If the order of events after Crete are moved around on the timeline above (and even the placement of Crete on the timeline is not certain), Paul could have been arrested in any of the following: Ephesus, Troas, one of the cities of Macedonia, or Nicopolis. My suggestion is Nicopolis, since it comes at the end of all the other pieces of information I have tried to piece together. If he was, in fact, arrested soon after he arrived at Nicopolis as winter was setting in, this would explain how Paul found himself in prison in winter in Rome (2 Timothy 4:13, 21).

Thus ends Paul’s fourth missionary journey. Included in the journey is a mission to Spain, ministry on the island of Crete, ministry in Ephesus, stops at Miletus, Troas, various cities in Macedonia, Corinth, and probably Nicopolis.

What about after Paul’s final arrest?

After Paul’s arrest, he was taken to Rome and imprisoned, not in a house as during his former internment, but probably in the notorious and cold (2 Timothy 4:13, 21) Mamertine Prison around the time that Nero started to unleash a horrific wave of persecution against Christians in Rome. During his time in prison, Paul was visited by Onesiphorus (2 Timothy 1:16–17), abandoned by many Christians as he faced trial (2 Timothy 4:16), deserted by Demas (2 Timothy 4:10), but still somehow found a way to write a second letter to Timothy (2 Timothy). Paul was aided by the physician Luke, who sought to attend to his needs (2 Timothy 4:11).
Paul is believed to have been beheaded—rather than thrown to the wild beasts or killed in some other inhumane way—because he was a Roman citizen.

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[1] This reconstruction assumes the Pauline authorship and accuracy of the Pastoral Letters: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus.

For more, visit the Good Book Blog, a seminary faculty blog from Talbot School of Theology.

Prayer is important but it is not a substitute for the Gospel.

Matthew 9:38, "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest."

MATTHEW 9:35-38, 13:53-58, MARK 6:1-6 (NKJV)

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

6 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. ² And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? 

And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! ³ Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? 

And are not His sisters here with us?”

 So they were offended at Him.

⁴ But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” ⁵ Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 
  ⁶ And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

People are born again through the power of the Word of God, not through prayer.
 Prayer is very important, but it is not a substitute for the Gospel.

 ============ 

Many people petition God for someone to be saved and can't understand why it hasn't happened yet.
 We don't have to ask the Lord to save anyone.
 He isn't willing that anyone should perish.
 He has already made provision for everyone's salvation.

So what do we pray concerning someone coming to the Lord?
 Jesus said to pray that the Lord send laborers across their path. 
They need to hear the Word. Also, we should bind the influence of the god of this world (Satan) who tries to blind them to spiritual truth 

2 Corinthians 4:4 New King James Version (NKJV)

⁴ whose minds the god of this age (Satan) has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

  God is more motivated to save our loved ones than we are. 
We don't need to plead with Him, but rather we need to become a channel for Him to flow through to reach that person. 
We do that by sharing the good news (Gospel) with them and/or praying that others will come across their path who will do the same.

The Gospel is the power of God that releases the effects of salvation in our lives. 
Romans 1:1-7  (NKJV)

Greeting

1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God ² which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, ³ concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, ⁴ and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. ⁵ Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, ⁶ among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

⁷ To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

If a person needs healing, it's in the Gospel, it's in the Gospel. 
Prosperity, answered prayer, joy, peace, love - they are all found through understanding and believing the Gospel.

The Gospel is the good news that although we are all sinners and worthy of God's wrath, God, in love, sent His Son to be our substitute, bearing our punishment, so that we could be made completely righteous in His sight. It's based only on our faith in this completed work of Christ and not our own performance. 

Now that's the GOOD NEWS!

" Who touched me?'

Luke 8:45, "And Jesus said, 'Who touched me?'

 When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, 'Master, the multitude throng thee, and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?'"

 

MATTHEW 9:18-20; MARK 5:21-34; LUKE 8:40-48

 

The multitudes were thronging Jesus. That is, they were compressing, and crowding in on all sides, so it seems strange that He would ask, "Who touched me?" Many people were physically touching Jesus, but this woman touched His power by faith. Many people in the crowd probably needed healing, but this person is the only one mentioned who received. The difference was the touch of faith.

If it was simply Jesus' willingness to heal that determined whether or not the healing took place, then all of the sick in this multitude would have been healed. This instance illustrates that it's not prayer that saves the sick, but rather the prayer of faith that saves the sick (Jas. 5:15).

Healing is governed by law and not by a case by case decision from God based on His feelings toward us. This woman received her healing by the law of faith before Jesus knew anything about her. Impassioned pleas to God will not obtain the miracle we seek. Although Jesus is touched by our feelings, it requires faith. It's not because Jesus doesn't know our needs or hear our cries that miracles don't happen, but rather it's because very few know how the law of faith works.

One of the main differences between a God-kind of faith and a natural, human faith, which everyone has, is that human faith believes only what it can see, taste, hear, smell, or feel. God's kind of faith believes in things that cannot be seen. You must believe that you receive your answer "when you pray" - not when you see the thing you've desired. Simply put, faith is our response to God's ability, made complete by our actions. Trust Him completely and, because you believe, your actions will follow.

By Faith We Understand

By the Law of Faith!

Luke 8:46, "And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me."

LUKE 8:43-48 (NKJV)
⁴³ Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, ⁴⁴ came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.
⁴⁵ And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”
When all denied it, Peter and those with him^[a] said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”^[b]
46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” ⁴⁷ Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.
⁴⁸ And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer;^[c] your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

Footnotes:

1. Luke 8:45 NU-Text omits and those with him.
2. Luke 8:45 NU-Text omits and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’
3. Luke 8:48 NU-Text omits be of good cheer.

 

Is it possible that Jesus, who was God manifest in the flesh, and therefore all-knowing, did not actually know who touched Him? Yes! 

Although Jesus' spiritual man was divine, He took upon Himself a physical body with its limitations. Jesus drew on His divine ability through the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and so can we:
see  (Jn. 14:12; 1 Cor. 12:7). 
Before His resurrection, He operated as a  (sinless) man by receiving from His Father through faith.

 Luke 8:47 says that the woman "saw that she was not hid." It is evident that Jesus received a word of knowledge from the Holy Spirit and had singled out this woman. However, this was after He felt the power of God flow out of Him and heal her.
 The woman was healed before He discerned her by the law of faith.

The law of electricity has been here on earth since creation.
 Man has observed it in such things as lightning and static electricity, but it was not until someone believed that there were laws that governed the activity of electricity that progress began to be made in putting it to use. 

Likewise, you don't deny the existence of faith, but it is only when you begin to understand that there are laws that govern faith, and begin to learn what those laws are, that faith will begin to work for you. 

Hebrews 11:1-3  (NKJV)

By Faith We Understand

11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ² For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

³ By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.