You and I live in a fallen creation. Sin and death have entered the world. Everyone is born with a sinful, rebellious nature. But when we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He makes us new and gives us a new nature that desires to please Him.

Living in this fallen creation sometimes hurts. Things go wrong. Life is not perfect. Perhaps your heart is bruised because of disappointment, hardship, difficult circumstances, lose, rejection, malicious intent of others.

The good news is that your Creator, Jesus Christ, the One Who is all knowing, all powerful, love and truth became a man specifically to heal your bruised heart!

You remember the story recorded in the book of Luke. After spending 40 days overcoming the testing of the devil, Jesus Christ came to Nazareth and went to the synagogue on the Sabbath.

Luke 4:¹⁶And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. ¹⁷And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, ¹⁸The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, ¹⁹To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. ²⁰And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. ²¹And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Jesus Christ was reading from the book of Isaiah, a prophecy written in the 8^th century BC. Imagine! God knew so long ago that sometimes during your lifetime your heart would be bruised and He prepared and purposed a solution! How powerful and purposeful our Jesus Christ is!

Wow! Jesus Christ limited Himself to a time, a place, a human body so He could heal your broken heart and set you at liberty when you are bruised. What love! But let’s examine more closely what He is saying.

Heal = to restore, to make whole, to free from evil

Broken = torn, reduced to fragments, violated

Do you feel broken?

How will He heal your broken heart? Jesus Christ is the God of options. He is not limited to one method of healing. Perhaps He will turn everything around for you. Perhaps He will do something very unexpected. Whatever He does it will be unique for you. You are precious to Him and unique. He does not heal each of us in the same way.

Liberty =freedom from restrictions or hampering conditions

Bruised =injured; crushed

Jesus Christ limited Himself to a place, a time and a human body to give you freedom from the restrictions that hamper your living the abundant life He provides.

Notice there is no stipulation that you must earn the liberty!

What do these scripture verses mean to you?

What needs to be healed?

Do you feel brised?

Does Jesus Care? –Frank E. Graeff, 1901

1. Does Jesus care when my heart is pained Too deeply for mirth or song,
   As the burdens press, and the cares distress, And the way grows weary and long?
   • Refrain:
     Oh, yes, He cares, I know He cares, His heart is touched with my grief;
     When the days are weary, the long nights dreary, I know my Savior cares.
2. Does Jesus care when my way is dark With a nameless dread and fear?
   As the daylight fades into deep night shades, Does He care enough to be near?
3. Does Jesus care when I’ve tried and failed To resist some temptation strong;
   When for my deep grief there is no relief, Though my tears flow all the night long?
4. Does Jesus care when I’ve said “goodbye” To the dearest on earth to me,
   And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks—Is it aught to Him? Does He see?

Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you with an everlasting, unconditional love; has uniquely designed and created only one you; has a good plan for your life; runs with you; and will     accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with your focus on His mission: to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti