Lifting up your friends

Mark 2 tells the story of a man who has been crippled for a while and thinks if he can see this guy they call Jesus the Christ he can be healed. The problem is Jesus is so popular at this time that everyone wants to see and this crippled man cannot get to him easily. So when Jesus comes to the area, he tries to get into see him, and the place is full. Since in those days there were no handicap parking spaces or special places reserved for them it looked like he would be crippled for a while. Luck doesn't walk in the door, but providence takes over. Jesus uses the situation to show us how as friends we can bring those in need to Him and He will have compassion for them and He is glorified by these actions. The mans friends devise a plan to get the crippled man into see Jesus. They lift the man up on a mat and open a hole in the roof and begin lowering the man down into Jesus' presence and when Jesus sees the actions of those faithful having compassion tells them man his sins are forgiven and take up his mat and walk away. The man picked up his mat and walked out to the amazement of all there. Now where would this man have been without the faith of his friends. This challenges me to not only pray for my friends in need but to also see where their need and try to meet if physically, monetarily, or whatever. I hope you will see this in this lesson as well and maybe show me other applications to this scripture. Let me know.

Sidelines?

There are many headlines going on today in the news, Steve McNair, Michael Jackson, Bam in Russia, etc..., but what about me? Do you ever feel like that? I am rather down today, like I am unseen, not being heard, unnoticed. Ever happen to you? No headlines for Frank, just sitting on the side lines. Before you or I start to feel sorrow for our selves, let's look at those unnoticed ones in the Bible. Remember in the Garden with Jesus, when all the disciples were taken after the wonderful dinner with Jesus in the upper room, He takes them to the garden to pray the night before His death. Then he asks Peter James and John to go forward with him, and leaves the other 8 behind to wait until He returns, He takes the three forward and instructs them to stay awake while He goes forward and prays. What about the eight left behind, what were they supposed to do? Do you think their feelings were hurt they weren't included? Were Andrew, Matthew, Thomas and the others not as important in Christ ministry as Peter, James and John? I wonder what their minds were doing at this time. I guess, sometimes we are left to do what the Psalmist instructs over and over, to be still and wait on the Lord. This waiting is hard and we want so bad to be included and be in the game, to make a difference, to feel useful, like we are a part of the team. But, He has a different idea for us, a different position for us to be in, maybe we aren't ready to be used or maybe we just need to wait. Think about these eight, they were with Christ for the past three years, they had seen His miracles, heard His lessons, and even been sent out from Him to perform miracles on their own, they were equipped and ready, yet here they are asked to remain where they are and wait. This wasn't the first time they had been asked to do this, at the Mount of Transfiguration, they had waited. Wait, could they have been absolutely comfortable with their relationship with Christ? Could they really understand His message to them and see His confidence in them. Did they have a knowledge that prevented fear and worry in their lives? I am not there, I do worry and have fear, I don't have that knowledge, however, I know it exist and I will strive to attain it in this life, but am assured in the next I will have full knowledge and these worries will be no more. I am sure these disciples as well struggled, but kept their focus on Christ and He brought them through. We all have moments of doubt and worry, however we have been left His Spirit, His Word and our Prayers to keep our focus on His Promises which never fail. So as I leave you today, and as I address my own struggle today, I want to encourage to look at the only Truth we have and that is the only Son of the one true God, Jesus Christ who is our Savior and Hope. SDG