It's Time to Tear a Hole in the Roof.....

"And when they could not get him to a place in front of Jesus because of the throng, they dug through the roof above Him; and when they had scooped out an opening, they let down the [thickly padded] quilt or mat upon which the paralyzed man lay. And when Jesus saw their faith..." 

Mark 2:5(amp)

I was reading the other day in Mark 2 about the paralytic man Jesus healed. Jesus was teaching in a house, probably Peter's, and the place was packed! There was no room for anyone else to get in the house...even outside around the door was jammed full of people listening to Jesus teach. Four men carried a paralytic man on a bed or quilt of some kind. They couldn't get in the door for all the people. However, instead of giving up, they climbed to the roof, still carrying this man. They tore a hole in the roof...probably not an easy task. The four of these men then lowered this man down through the roof.  I don't know what the roof was constructed of, but I would imagine that as they were tearing a hole in it, debris would begin to fall upon the heads of those inside. 

I wonder what the people thought?

I wonder if the distraction annoyed those listening to Jesus?

I wonder if Jesus stopped teaching and waited ?

I wonder why those four men went to so much trouble?

We all have those times when we are in desperate need of a touch from God. The situations we face when we know that without an intervention from God Himself we will not make it. 

The pink slip you get at work
That unexpected bill that demands to be paid!

That dreaded diagnoses that only the Hand of God can heal

The loved one who has wandered so far from God and is lost

Remember that feeling you get? That desperation you feel? Most of us will find a few friends and ask them to pray with us and for our situation.We might even call the prayer chain at church if it's serious enough. And we do so with full faith and confidence that they will stand with us in prayer because we can't do it all alone. We need our friends to intercede with us...to help us get to Jesus.

Then one day, a friend comes to us and says, "I need you to pray with/for me", or we get an email or phone call from the prayer chain; a requested mentioned in church or our Bible Study Class.....

"I just lost my job and have no idea where to turn!
 I have a huge debt that needs to be paid!

I have received a diagnosis that only God can cure!

My son, my daughter, my husband, my wife...they are lost and they need to be found!"

Do we feel their desperation? Do we fall on our face before God and intercede on their behalf? Do we carry them up the roof and tear a hole through it? Do we do whatever it takes to get them to Jesus? Or do we say, "I'll pray for you" and then go on our way?

I've been reminded of this lately for two reasons. 

One, I have several friends that are facing desperate situations. I have a precious friend who is desperately in need of healing. She is battling stage 4 cancer and has been for several years. I often think of her and pray for her healing. I have two dear friends who are the same age as my husband and myself and the husband has just recently received that "pink slip". In this economy and at our ages, this is a huge battle to face. Both friends have asked me to pray with and for them. I am praying and believing for complete healing for Lori; and I am praying for guidance, direction and provision for CJ and Doug. I know that our God is a Healer, Provider, Deliverer; He's our Victory, and He never leaves us or forsakes us.

The other reason I have been dwelling on this lately is because...I'm guilty! I have been asked to pray with someone over a situation and I have done so....at that time. Then, I have forgotten about it..only to be vaguely reminded when I see them again the next week at church.

I wonder what would have happened to the paralytic man if his friends, upon seeing the crowds in and around the house where Jesus was, said to him, "Well, we don't seem to be able to get in today. Let's come back and try again tomorrow." They may have obligations or responsibilities the next day that kept them busy or caused them to forget. They may have thought, "well, we tried, but it didn't work" and given up on their friend. 

But these men, these friends, pursued Jesus... they continued on in desperation. The same desperation this paralytic man must have felt, but was powerless to do anything about. They didn't give up until they got through the roof to Jesus. 

They didn't give up until they got their friend to Jesus and he "arose at once and picked up the sleeping pad or mat and went out before them all..." (vs. 12)

I've been in desperate situations. I remember the hours, the days, the nights, crying out before the Lord for deliverance, for provision, for healing. I have asked friends and family to pray with me regarding those situations. And I have trusted that they are praying with the same desperation that I have for an answer. 

God has reminded me lately as I have prayed for these dear friends and others who I know are facing similar battles, that I don't have the same fervency in prayer that I would if I were praying for my own needs. My prayer is that God would help me tear through the roof on behalf of others. To keep on until we see the Hand of God move  miraculously in situations that seem impossible in our eyes.

The other thing I am reminded of is that whatever your need is, it is a desperate need. It's not our place to judge the significance or importance of the prayer request. The next time you are asked to pray for someone facing desperate situations, or any situation, remember those four men who wouldn't give up until their friend got to Jesus. Do whatever it takes to "tear back the roof" and receive deliverance from Jesus.

Matthew 7:7 says, "Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you."

Lori, I'm gonna keep on. 

Doug, CJ, I'm gonna keep on.

It's time to tear a hole in the roof.......

I Give Him to You, God...Again

I put him on a plane today...my little boy.

Not so little anymore...6'2" and all grown up

Tender-hearted...sensitive to the feelings of others.

A gentleman who knows girls should be treated differently than "the guys".

He's never "too cool" to say "I love you, mom".

He has a mantle on him...a call of God.

When he was a baby, Mark and I dedicated him to the Lord, just as we have with all of our children. We have trusted God with his life, his health, his safety and his well-being. And God, being the Faithful One, has never let us down.

Last night at prayer meeting while praying with a precious woman, she reminded me that we had given Him to God once...and that now it was time to do so again.

So, I put him on a plane today...my little boy.

Not so little anymore...6'2" and all grown up

Tender-hearted...sensitive to the feelings of others.

A gentleman who knows girls should be treated differently than "the guys".

Still not "too cool" to say "I love you, mom".

He has a mantle on him...a call of God.

"...being confident of this, 

that he who began a good work in you 

will carry it on to completion 

until the day of Christ Jesus."

Philippians 1:6

Letting Go.....

I have been so honored and yes, amazed, at the number of people who have told me how blessed they are by my posts. And I have to say, that all the credit goes to God our Father. And I am so grateful to each of you for your kind words and encouragement. So I was wondering, could you return the favor? I need a few words of encouragement from those of you who have been where I am now.

You see, I am totally stressing out! Most of you are aware that I am a mother of five and even a grandmother. But I've never had to say "goodbye" to one of my children. While my two oldest boys are married and out of the house, they live close by and we see them often. And even if a couple weeks go by without seeing or hearing from them, I know that I can stop by or have them over for dinner anytime.

My third son, Mitchell, just graduated from high school and two weeks from today he leaves for college......in Cleveland, Tennessee!! And the "mommy" in me is having a really hard time with this...

We were hoping to have him fly out with a friend who attends there, but that flight was unavailable to us. So I had to book him on another flight that's not a non-stop... he's going to have to change planes...by himself.

I was up until 2am this morning trying to find financing for the rest of his tuition. I don't get this.....there are all these websites that say there is "tons of money" out there for education, but I can't seem to find it. I cannot begin to tell you how many scholarship offers we have filled out! It's crazy!!! And so incredibly frustrating...

And you know what the craziest thing is???? As I'm sitting here typing this, feeling sorry for myself, crying into my Kleenex my play list below is playing. And the first thing I hear is...

"I will be still and know and know You are God".

And while I am trying to ignore that one, the next song comes on.

"I am not forgotten....He knows my name"

As I continue to type and spill out my woes to you, the next song comes on....

"Shake yourself loose from everything that binds you up!"

I guess while I was hoping to get pity and perhaps a few more Kleenex from some of you God decided to use what He has already given me to help me through this storm. God has reminded me to be still and know that He has all things under control. He has not forgotten us; He knows MY name and He knows Mitchell's name. Therefore, I will stand on His Word and shake loose from the fears that have tried to encamp around me. Mitchell is perfectly capable of doing this without me, because, in fact, he won't be alone. God is our provider. And all things, including the enemy, are under our feet!

But, if you think of us, please include us in your prayers...I still have to say goodbye; we still need provision for tuition, books and the miscellaneous items he will need for school.

And there will be that empty room downstairs....

From Traitor to Super Hero...

"How far has the LORD taken our sins from us?

   Farther than the distance from east to west!"

Psalm 103:12 (amp)

I'm a simple person, really. If you've read much of my writings you probably know that. God speaks to me in the simplest of things. 

Today was the last day of VBA (Vacation Bible Adventure) at our church.The theme this year was Heroes and my son, Mitchell (18) was part of the dramatic storyline that carried throughout the week. He was  Secret Agent 0011. I stopped in this morning to see the opening session and watch his skit. As the story unfolded, to my dismay, it was discovered that Agent 0011 had in fact been working all along for the bad guy...Mega Really Bad Dude. My son was a double agent and my mother's heart broke! But in the end, he did the right thing and became a Super Hero. I was so proud of him!

It was a simple story, and the kids all loved it. But what was interesting to watch during the course of the day was how Agent 0011 was treated by the children after that session. At the end of the day, the children were coming up to the actors and getting their autographs, and several of them would call Agent 0011.....traitor. Even though in the end, he realized the right thing to do and saved the city from Mega Really Bad Dude, what they remembered about him was who he was; not who he became. 

 "Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ 

(the Messiah) he is a new creation 

(a new creature altogether); 

the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] 

has passed away. 

Behold, the fresh and new has come!"

2 Corinthians 5:17 (amp)

As I was driving home from the church today, thinking back on it all and feeling proud of the young man my son has become, I pondered  the story line and wondered if the children actually got it. I think they understood the concept of being a hero, but did they get the idea that once we come to Christ, we become different...a new person?

For that matter, do we get it?

How many times have talked about someone and said, "You know, the ex-drug addict" or "the ex-prostitute" or the "ex-whatever"?  And while we are so grateful for God's mercy and grace and the deliverance He has brought, we still describe them by what they were and not who they are now...new creations in Christ.

If God has indeed separated our sins from us, as far as the east is from the west, then why do we act and treat each other as if they are still in our back pocket? They no longer define who we are. The redeeming work of Jesus' blood now defines us.

So, if like Agent 0011 you have been working in the past for the wrong side, so to speak, but have come to know and serve God, don't let the enemy remind you that you were once a traitor. You are a new creation. And greater is He who is within you, then he who is in the world....You are a Super Hero now!