CAN YOUR FRIENDS COUNT ON YOU?
"Several days later Jesus retuned to Capernaum, and the news of His arrival spread quickly through the town. Soon the house He was staying in was packed with visitors that there was not enough room for one more person, not even outside the door. And He preached the word to them. Four men arrived carrying a paralysed man on a mat. They couldn't get to Jesus through the crowd, so they dug through the the clay roof above His head. They lowered the sick man on his mat right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralysed man "My son, your sins are forgiven." ..."Stand up, take your mat, and go on home because you are healed!" The man jumped up, took the mat and pushed his way through the stunned onlookers. Then they all praised God. "We've never seen anything like this before!" they exclaimed.
You may not be literally carrying someone on a mat today like these four friends did. However, I encourage you today that you can help someone receive their blessing from the Lord, just as they helped their paralysed friend.
You can pray for someone. You can encourage someone. You can share with someone - your time, your money, your experience, or just a caring, listening ear. In whatever way you can help someone to receive salvation, restoration or deliverance from the Lord, do it, for your effort will not be in vain.
Note this man was paralysed. There was no way he could get to Jesus by himself. You may know someone like that. They may not be physically paralysed, but because of unbelief, discouragement, fear, hopelessness, they just need someone with a little more strength than them to get nearer to Jesus and His plan for their lives. You can be that person who the Lord uses today to be a blessing!
It couldn't have been easy for those four men to lift the man on his mat. Not only that, but when they couldn't get him to Jesus one way, they lifted him up and lowered him through the roof! Imagine that! What faith. What persistence.
Jesus honoured these four men's faith. Note from the passage above that Jesus saw their faith. He will also see your faith as you step up, to believe on behalf of that family member, friend, work colleague or acquaintance. Your faith along with good deeds can make a life changing difference.
Jesus honoured these four men's faith. Note from the passage above that Jesus saw their faith. He will also see your faith as you step up, to believe on behalf of that family member, friend, work colleague or acquaintance. Your faith along with good deeds can make a life changing difference.
Another perspective not to be overlooked is from that of the paralysed man. If you are in a situation today, where you need help in a particular area of life you want Jesus to resolve, then pray and ask God to bring some "carriers" into your life. It may not be as many as four, like in this passage of Scripture. It may even be just one. No matter how many, God is able to bring people into your life to encourage, inspire, motivate, pray for and believe God for you - if such people don't already exist in your life. The Lord knows that we need others. I myself have been "carried" in particular areas of my life. The Lord has brought some wonderful people into my life to advise and encourage when I needed it most. Our loving God can do the same for you! Just put your trust in Him, for all things are possible!
