Luke 8:43-48  43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”

46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”

47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

This is a story of a woman who risked her life to be healed.  In those days a woman was considered unclean when she had this kind of bleeding disorder.  She could have been severely punished even killed for this crime.  She spent a lot of money on doctors to no avail. She stretched her faith and reached out and touched Jesus robe and was healed….why?…..in Jesus own words “your faith has healed you.”

This morning as I write this I know God is speaking to me.  Where is my faith to believe in the power of the Lord?  You see I’m in need of some VERY big miracles.  I need for my faith to be at maximum level. I don’t need one drop of doubt in my mind.  Right now there are many things that are a distraction that’s pulling my energies in another direction and trying to weaken my faith.

The lady in this story had a lot of distractions.  She was a woman and she had to get through a throng of people including the men who surrounded Jesus. She knew she could get in big trouble for doing this. She also had to deal with her poor health.  Where would she even get the energy and strength that it would take to not only get to where Jesus was, but to dig her way through the crowd?  She had probably spent the little money she had on doctors.  This woman had distractions!!

I think she was at a point of total desperation and at the same time a point of great hope.  She put her hope in the right direction and stretched her faith…. in fact her faith was at an all time high because of a story she heard about a man named Jesus.  I assumed she had never met Him before….but from a story….a rumor….some local news that she heard in passing she heard enough and that news enacted her faith in the Messiah. There was no TV, no doctor referral, and no internet advertisement.  She felt in her heart and mind this was the truth and her only hope.

My eyes, my expectations, my total reliance, my dreams, my desires, and faith should only be focused on one person right now and that is Jesus.  When we put our faith in Jesus…He will not leave us hanging!!  Can you imagine if He had done that to this woman after all she went through, can you see her just lying on the ground crying in defeat and getting beaten, stone or jailed for what she did?

There may be many distractions in our lives today….but I know if we press our way through we will get our breakthrough. We must focus on the one who has the power and believe this power is real and will be used to heal us, help us and protect us.  Meditate on this….close your eyes and see yourselves reaching out to Jesus…..reach….stretch your faith….touch the hem of His garment…connect with the source of this supernatural power.  That’s it…keep your mind on Him…. not just right now but 24/7.

Bow your hearts with me and let’s pray together:

“Our Father, we stretch our hands to you and ask you to bless us. We believe in your ability to meet our every need.  We thank you for all you have done for us and we thank you in advance for the answers to our prayers. We love you! We ask this in your precious Son’s name… Jesus. Amen!”

There is a song that was made famous by Diana Ross called ….”Reach Out And Touch.” I changed some of the words ….try singing this song with the new words….really get into it…sing it from your heart.

Reach out and touch
The Master’s hand
He’ll make your world a better place
I know He can
Reach out and touch
The savior’s hand
He’ll put you in a better place
Yes He can

(Just try)
Take a little time out of your busy day
To receive encouragement
If you’ve  lost your way
(Just try)
Or would He be talking to a stone
If He asked you
To share a problem that’s your own
We can change things if we start trustin’ Him
Why don’t you

 Reach out and touch
The Master’s hand
He’ll make your world a better place
I know He can
Reach out and touch
The savior’s hand
He’ll put you in a better place
Yes He can

Message for today:  Reach out for the Lord today, stretch your faith…..you have it…..even mustard seed faith works…touch the hem of His garmnet which is to touch is heart….His love for you and His supernatural power to bless you.

       If Jesus says this to you…“Who touched me?”…..will your faith say to Him….”It was me!!!”