Mark Ballenger 
Every great story must go lower before it goes higher. To feel the joy, exuberance, and utter relief that all turned out beautifully in the end, you will have to go through the scenes that make you feel this could never turn out for good.
Bible Verses: “So the sisters [Mary and Martha] sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.” (John 11:3-6)
Sometimes Jesus shows his love for us by doing exactly what we asked. Sometimes he shows his love by healing our sickness or by protecting us from danger. Sometimes he shows his love by sparing us of pain. But sometimes . . . sometimes Jesus shows his love through the pain he allowed to happen in our lives.
Bible Verses:
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? –2 Corinthians 6:14-15
. . . she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. – 1 Corinthians 7:39 (NIV)
Should Christians date unbelievers? After all, if you are a Christian, can’t you seek to bring someone to Jesus through dating? God has used “missionary dating” for some, so why not for you?
As a single Christian, one of the questions which can dominate the thoughts is, “Who will I marry?” With so little Christians in the world, and even fewer who share the same interests as you, the odds are certainly stacked against a Christian guy or Christian girl seeking “the one.”
Whether it’s the common cold or a deadly cancer, physical pain is something every human will deal with. We all will be sick and we all will know people with a sickness. Sadly, enduring pain is just a part of living on this planet. Thankfully the Bible gives us specific counsel on how to endure seasons of pain and sickness.
The Bible explains that the only way to endure pain well is through Jesus Christ. Perfect health is not an option for ourselves or for those we love. Therefore, we must seek our satisfaction in Christ to get through physical sickness and pains of all sorts.
Should a Christian watch TV, R rated movies, PG-13 rated movies, “Game of Thrones,” the “Big Bang Theory,” or soap operas? Should Christians watch anything on TV other than low budget, cheesy Christian movies that play too much slow, epic music throughout every scene of inner turmoil the main character goes through? To most of us, it seems “Christian entertainment” forgot the “entertainment” part.
So what’s a Christian to do who enjoys watching TV? Chuck the TV out the window? Suck it up and just watch “Fireproof” and other Kirk Cameron specials until reading through the genealogies and ceremonial lists found in the Old Testament begin to look like a better source of fun? Perhaps there’s a better way.
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Bible Verses:
“Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled. – Mark 5:19-20
But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” – Mark 5:33-34
And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. – Mark 5:42-43
Part 3: Live A Healed Life
The demon possessed man use to live alone among the tombs, but once he was healed he then was sent by Jesus to proclaim Christ in the city. He used to live among dead bodies because he was filled with dead spirits, but now he was proclaiming Jesus among the living because the Spirit of Life had healed him. But what would have happened if the demon possessed man went back to the cemetery because he wasn’t sure if the demons would come back?
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Bible Verses:
And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. – Mark 5:3-4
…and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” – Mark 5:23
[The woman who had a discharge of blood] had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.” – Mark 5:26
Part 2: Stop Asking Other Sources
It’s pointless to go to other sources for spiritual healing because as Mark 5:4 states of the demon possessed man, “No one had the strength to subdue him.” Likewise, no one but Christ has the strength to subdue our sin.
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Bible Verses:
They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. – Mark 5: 1-2
Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet. – Mark 5:22
And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. – Mark 5:30-32
Part 1: Ask Jesus Personally
Notice in all of the above verses about people being healed, they each left a crowd and became an individual to Jesus.
