Live Free with Josh Howerton - Can’t Keep Quiet | Ep. 414 | Thursday, September 5, 2024

Episode Date: September 5, 2024

Encountering God and experiencing His love ignites a profound transformation in our lives, making it nearly impossible to remain silent. This personal encounter fills us with an infectious joy and gratitude that has the power to positively impact any situation. With humility and the peace of His presence, we are inspired to share with others the remarkable work God has done in our lives and what He is capable of doing in theirs.

Thanks for tuning in to today's Daily Drive with Lake Point Church, a daily dose of God's Word for your morning drive. When the word, not the world, becomes the majority of your week, your life will start to change. For that reason, our prayer is that God will speak to you through today's devotional. For more digital content to feed your faith, visit lakepoint.com slash daily drive. And now let's dive in to today's devotional. Hey, welcome to the Daily Drive podcast. I know many of you listen on your daily commute to work or to school. Some of you got the earbuds in while you walk or jog or workout. Some of you might be on the back deck like my wife and I starting your day with the Bible and coffee and prayer. Some of you might be on a lunch break or winding down for bed. So wherever you are and whenever you listen, just know that God just loves to meet with you.

He loves it when you and I draw close like this. And he just longs to touch us with his love. We've been unpacking a story this week found in Luke chapter 5. It's an encounter between Jesus and this guy who is described as having a very advanced form of a dreaded terminal disease called leprosy. Well, he comes to Jesus, falls on his face, calls him Lord and says, I know you could do anything. I know you could heal me. I was just wondering if you would. And Jesus reaches out and touches this man who was seen and treated by everybody else's untouchable and miraculously heals the man. He tells this guy, hey, let's just keep this under wraps.

No need to tell anybody about this. But the guy just can't. And Jesus knew that. It says this in Mark chapter 1 for 45. Instead, he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places, yet the people still came to him from everywhere. I mean, you blame the guy?

I mean, how do you keep something like that quiet? When you've experienced that, I once was lost, but now I'm found, was blind, but now I see? When I was in darkness, but now I'm in light, I was rejected, but now I'm accepted. I mean, how do you keep that kind of experience quiet? You just can't. Something like that happens to you, and you want to explode with gratitude. I'm telling you, it's hard to shut up about it. You know, I have the privilege of being a part of churches that are growing and thriving,

and part of the reason is because we just can't keep quiet. about how the love of God has changed us. Every time I stand up to preach, from my vantage point, I can see like a family that just a few years ago was absolutely falling apart, but they allowed God to get close, and he touched them. I know people who were adrift in a deep sea of depression and grief,

but they sought God, and he met them there, and he reached out and touched them and pulled them out of that pit. I look out and I see tons of people who have wrestled big time with alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, Like the leper, they came to Jesus and said, Lord, I'm willing, you willing? And they found that God could and would if he were sought. And they started seeking his help, and they got into a recovery group,

and he began transforming their lives. I have friends right now who are terminally ill, but they're finding another kind of healing, this unexplainable peace and strength to move through every day with joy, because the God who draws close has given them an eternal hope that will not disappoint. I look out over crowds and I see people who had a horrible reputation. Those were the wild sexual past, those who did some prison time, those who never thought forgiveness was available for a person like them,

but they found out they were dead wrong about the kind of God that God is. And they felt the life-giving touch of Jesus Christ. I'm telling you, gang, it's hard to keep that quiet. Once you get infected by Jesus' healing touch, you move through your school, your workplace, your neighborhood, your own home with contagious joy that just flows. from this deep, deep sense of gratitude. Now, I'm not talking about turning into some obnoxious religious person,

but rather walking through your life with an attractive peace, a healthy confidence, this humble heart that's full of compassion that touches those around you. I'm telling you, when God has changed your life, when Jesus has infected you, it's hard to keep that quiet. It's hard not to want to touch the world the way Jesus has touched you. So what do you say we go do that today? And then come back tomorrow.

I'm going to tell you about a friend who, did exactly that. I hope you have a great day. Thanks for tuning in today. For more biblical teaching and worship, join us for our church online live weekend services on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information about all the digital ministries of Lake Point, visit lakepoint.church slash daily drive. Also, if this podcast was helpful to you, would you be sure to rate, review, and share this podcast to help get the word out.