In his right mind…(Mark5/Luke8)
In a time like this, or any time for that matter, where one’s mind is matters. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. And, as Paul expounds to the Hebrews, God spoke in the past time by the prophets, but in these last days speaks by His son (literally “in son”).

There was on the Southeast region of the Sea of Galilee, a region called Gadara. It was the land of the Gadarenes. The name “Gadarenes”, like most names in scripture, has a meaning. It means “reward after”, or “reward later”. This place stands in stark contrast to the nature of the Savior, the Living Bread of heaven, of whom it is written, “Lo, I come, and my reward is with me…”. Also consider Abraham, when he accepted nothing from the king of Sodom, who Abraham had rescued in order to save Lot and Lot’s family, Abraham asked the Lord what would be his reward. The Lord said. “I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward”. The land of the Gadarenes becomes a picture of the common mental estate of many church people…that reward is on the other side of the grave. That you live your life, be good, go to church, follow the rules, and when you die, there will await for you on the “other side”, a great reward. Reward After…the mental identifier of the Gaderene.

Once Jesus heard a man crying in the tombs. This man was a Gadarene. Jesus heard him from a great distance and had to cross the lake and travel to Gadara to see the man. He found the man tormented, living in the tombs, unruly and unapproachable. Jesus asked the man what his name was. He gave a curious answer…”MY name is Legion, for WE are many”. This was not the first time Jesus had encountered thinking of dark origin in the mind of someone. Jesus dealt with it in people every day. Once Jesus even turned at something that came out of Peter’s mouth, and said, “Get behind me Satan, you are an offense to me. You don’t desire the things of God, but of man”. Now, Jesus was not calling Peter “Satan”, but was identifying the source of Peter’s recent statements. The man of Gadara becomes a picture of many people today. People who have a mind full of the many and contrary “voices” in the world today. Whether individuals or vast media empires, there be many voices out there, and all of them vying for significance in the heart and mind of men and women. The man lived in tombs…another picture. Those who believe there are no answers, truth or reward in this life, but only on the other side of the grave, live with one foot in the grave, so to speak. But Jesus drove the many contrary voices from the man’s thinking. And when the inhabitants of the place came to see what was taking place, they found the man clothed, in his right mind, and sitting at Jesus’ feet. Each of these conditions also become something to dig into. Jesus appealed to a church in the book of Revelation, that they obtain garments from Him, in order that their nakedness not be revealed. He also admonished them to obtain from Him, gold tried in the fire…true riches…and also eye salve so that their vision might be restored. This church was at Laodicea, and they said they had everything, needed nothing. Jesus replied that they were miserable, wretched, poor, blind and naked. Apparently their doctrine was not very fruitful. So, the people of Gadara, seeing what was done in the delivered man, were in great fear, and asked Jesus to leave their coasts…to leave their sphere of influence. What Jesus had done in the here and now, was completely contrary to the doctrine of dying and going to “heaven”. Because if Christ is in you, the kingdom of God is in you now. If Christ is in you, the Teacher, and Author of the scripture is in you now. And He will teach you now. Of course while in flesh , we see and hear in part…in limited measure. But we possess by faith, all the fullness. And we will realize all, when all the fullness is revealed. It can be compared to a seed. An apple seed may not look like much, but a whole tree is in it. And it may not appear that way now, but if it is not true, it could never produce an apple tree.

I know this is sort of long winded by current standards, but it is meant to encourage any who read, to know that there are many voices in the world that will fill one’s head with uncertainty and conflict. But there is also One who can, with His word, drive these things from your mind and replace them with inviolate truth. And I am persuaded that this is a time where this is done in the individual, not so much in the “church”. This is why in every church spoken to in Revelation 2&3, it is said “if any man (woman…makes no difference) have an ear to hear, let him hear”. In other words, you don’t have to think with the group. What the Lord reveals, you are free to hear, whether anyone else will or not.

[Isa 26:3 KJV] 3 Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee.