Just Ask

8-7-2009

Have you ever had times in your life where it felt something was missing? There just had to be more, but you weren’t exactly sure where to look? This is where I was when I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. I grew up in the church, and I knew of God, but I wasn’t transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. I had never fully accepted Christ into my life, therefore I was lost. It’s one thing to know of something, but it’s totally different when you know something intimately. It was my senior year in high school when I asked Christ into my life, and that missing void has forever been filled!

Matthew 8:1-4 says, “When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

For those of you that may be where I was, just ask! Jesus can heal all things, but you must ask him into your life. In the example we read about in Matthew chapter 8, we read of a man asking to be cleansed of leprosy. Leprosy then was like AIDS today. It was bad! In the same way the man asked Jesus to cleanse him of leprosy, we need to ask Jesus to cleanse us of our sin. The answers a lot of people are looking for are all around you everywhere every day, and he is waiting for you to call on him. Jesus wants a relationship with you, and you have the free will to turn to him, ignore him, or turn away from him. I feel a lot of people are sitting in the “ignore him” category. They simply fill their lives with the things and events of this world, and anything of this world will leave you empty! Fix your eyes on the cross, and watch your life overflow with joy.

Application:
1. Read Matthew 8:1-5
2. What’s keeping you from Christ?