The Fab Four

Once there were four friends – well five actually. We know very little about this group. The fifth of this little band was paralysed. We’re not told how that happened. Had the five of them been out on an epic adventure that didn’t turn out according to plan? Four came back without a scratch and one changed for life – paralysed – spending his days lying on a mat. Is that why the four were so attentive, so determined?

There is no recorded conversation between these friends – just an account of their actions really. It would be interesting to know…the day the four came to pick up the paralysed man…did he have a say in the matter? Did he ask for help? Or, did he just go along with the plan because, really, it wasn’t like he had options…

Jesus was in town. The four decided that their friend needed to see Jesus. So, they picked him up, literally. Carrying him, mat and all, and off they went.

It probably hadn’t been their plan for the day. They had other things in their day planners. Things that needed to get done. Important things….but Jesus was in town…and their friend needed to see him.

I wonder about conversation when they got to the house where Jesus was speaking. It was pretty obvious that there was no way to push through the crowd – maybe one of them could have made it but that wasn’t the plan. The plan was to get their friend to Jesus.

Now what boys? Less determined friends may have turned back. It just wasn’t meant to be. Today wasn’t going to be the day. They had tried. They could come back tomorrow. Maybe Jesus would still be there.

Were they discouraged? They had been so sure that they should bring their friend to Jesus…and that it needed to be today…

Are they about to turn away when one of them speaks up…maybe the quiet one in the group…a little fearful of what the reaction will be because they have laughed at his ideas before…"What about the roof? Why don’t we dig through the roof?"

Today they don’t laugh. Today they don’t tell him that it’s a ridiculous idea. Today their friend needs to see Jesus.

Without arguing, without hesitation, without one word about who is going to clean up the mess that they are about to make, they head for the outer staircase. The climb to the roof strains their muscles. It is no easy task to carry a paralysed man to the roof top. But it is the only way and they need to get their friend to Jesus.

They begin to tear up the tiles of the roof. It disrupts the teaching going on below as bits of dirt and rubble begin to fall. And the noise! Getting their friend to Jesus has become a little messy.

The roof is damaged but…their friend meets Jesus and his life is forever changed!

There is a verse in this story which both gives great hope and challenges at the same time.

"When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.'" (Mk 2:5)

When Jesus saw their faith the fifth man’s life was changed. No longer paralysed. Forgiven…healed…free!

Their faith…four friends who knew that they had a friend who needed to have an encounter with Jesus. Four friends willing to carry another and who wouldn’t let obstacles deter them…not a crowd, not stairs, not even a roof. They were persistent, determined, faithful friends.

Anyone in your life who needs to have an encounter with Jesus? Have you tried to get them there but were turned back by obstacles? One friend couldn’t have completed this task. To expect one to carry the paralysed man …that would have been an unbearable burden. But four…there was no stopping them. No doubt they spurred each other on.

I’m still learning this lesson…to share the burden…to have my own ‘fab four’ who can help me bring someone I love to meet Jesus…but I am determined to do that because when Jesus saw their faith…amazing things began to happen!

Ruth

White on White

A few days ago something happened to my Mom that I found to be a very distinct picture of something that takes place in each of our lives. My mom was attempting to copy and paste one document to another file like she has often done. However, it appeared she had correctly copied and pasted it yet nothing was showing up on her page. It remained a white, blank page. Now normally I love a good white on white scheme, but this wasn’t exactly one of those times - lol. It didn’t take her long to discover that the reason she was having trouble was because the colour of the font she was copying was indeed white…and therefore, pasting it on a white page would not show up. Everything was working like it should, like it had every other time, but just this time she could not actually see it.

Sometimes I think our lives reflect such an example. Whether we’re working hard towards something and it seems like we’re not making any strides, or desiring to live an example of a Godly life for our families or friends and it feels like we’re just not succeeding. Success comes from Jesus, the answers, results and overall accomplishment is for His Glory and by His power. Trust Him, even when it seems like nothing's showing up, getting through or being accomplished. He’s working, just sometimes we can’t exactly see it. Keep going Dear Friend*

Mary

Follow-Through

I don't know if you've ever been a pitcher in baseball or swung a golf club, but I understand follow-through is a very important part if one is to be consistent and accurate.

Now I don't know about you but sometimes my intentions are good, but my follow-through is rather poor.

I was recently listening to a preacher preach and on many levels I was stirred. The location, the people, the message to name a few. Later in the day I shared a bit of what was stirring in my heart and told my husband I was going to do these certain things. If I could have walked out of the building and put my stirred emotions to good use I wouldn't be sitting here today trying to remember how I felt in the moment, as well as wondering if I should still follow-through with those thoughts. I need to remember some of those thoughts and ideas (which I believe were God-planted) are not to be forgotten and this somewhat failing memory of mine needs to find a way to remind myself to follow-through. A note on the calendar, and piece of paper on the counter a whispered word to someone else...

Sometimes God has planted wonderful thoughts and ideas in our heads and then we get home, we get busy and become forgetful, or perhaps loose the passion of the moment. But those ideas, which were God's ideas, never become a reality because we didn't follow-through.

Has God been speaking to you lately? Does He want you to step out and do something with those God-given plans and ideas?

Ps. 33:10-11 says, "The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations."

Jo-Ann

Who’s your Daddy?

Do you *know* Him? Here’s a powerful reminder from Dr. S.M. Lockridge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzqTFNfeDnE

I love Dr. Lockridge’s passion! This Easter like others, our family will continue the tradition of baking resurrection cookies, egg decorating, watching Jesus of Nazareth, and there will no doubt be a hefty family meal shared – but I’m determined this year to not only remember the story – but really reflect on the power! The power of this Almighty God – Lord of lords – King of kings that we serve. His almighty resurrecting power that our hungry world needs to consume. That I need to consume, reflect, and praise daily.

"And if it seems evil for you to serve the LORD,

choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,

whether the gods which your father served on the other side of the river,

or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.

As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!"

Joshua 24:15

He IS my all – that’s my King! He is risen. He is risen indeed!

Because of Him, press in and press on.

Giselle

Created

What an amazing world we live in! Do you stop to consider it – the beauty that surrounds us daily? Sometimes we make opportunity to be amazed by God’s creation – a vacation at the lake, a trip through the mountains, a hike through the woods in fall as the leaves are changing. Occasionally the moments that take our breath away seem more random. The northern lights dancing on a cold December night, the scent of lilacs in spring, the wonder of a newborn…

Do words ever fail you? Phrases from scripture come to mind… "…the whole earth is full of His glory." "...the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands." (Ps.19:1)

Even if I were a poet and could pen the most splendid verse, it would still fall short in describing the magnificence that is this created world.

In the record of creation from Genesis, day after day, as God completed that day’s work we are told that "God saw that it was good." After six days of creative work that included the creation of man & woman in God’s image, scripture tells us that "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." (Gen. 1:31) Kind of a master of understatement!

In taking a very basic anatomy course a few years ago, I began to see how intricate and complex our human form is…I was amazed over and over again. Again, a phrase from scripture… "I am fearfully and wonderfully made…"

I believe that, and yet it can be painful to walk past a mirror…because while I can acknowledge that I was knit together in my mother’s womb, I look in that mirror and see the shortcomings, the failures, the brokenness and all the parts that aren’t quite enough…

One of the problems with remembering ‘phrases’ from scripture can be that they are just that – ‘phrases’. We need to read the entire thought.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (Ps. 139:13, 14)

It was not just my physical form that God put together. He "created my inmost being" – the part that makes me – me.

Think about this. There is a word that is not in God’s vocabulary. He did not use this word once as he created this world. He did not use it as he created man and woman. He has not used it since that time as he has continued to create – knitting each of us together. That word is "OOPS!" Seriously!

He still wants to mold us – still wants us to grow into the image of His Son, but we are fearfully and wonderfully made, inside and out. You are His creation. His creation! No "oops". There is nothing in you that takes him by surprise. Created by Him, for Him and He delights in you!

God’s works – that means you – are wonderful. Know that full well!

Ruth

Beautiful

I recently saw this picture on facebook and unfortunately I haven't found the original site. However, I think the picture is powerful and I hope it's simple message resonates deep within your heart.

You are a multi-faceted creation and you are beautiful.

Ps. 139:14 says, "Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!" NLT

Jo-Ann

Believing God

I have found many women, churched and non-churched, who wrestle with trying to find their value as a woman and as a daughter of the King. I truly believe my value as an individual, our value as women, can only be found in Jesus. Gen. 1:27 says we were created in God's image and I believe the only way we will feel truly valued and treasured will be if we measure ourselves against God's standards. As God's creation we bear the image of God as one of His creations. I find that freeing, but also difficult to understand. I, like many of you, don't want to compare myself to the magazine covers or those I see on TV with the proper lighting and perfectly, airbrushed makeup. I want to be free, content and settled to be the woman God created me to be, but sometimes I'm just not sure who that woman is. If you're like me do you want to commit yourselves to figuring that out in the coming days and weeks ahead? Will you intentionally read your bible with fresh eyes for God's truth about what He thinks about you?

Can you make the shift from believing in God to believing God?

We are valued, treasured and created in God's sight so we can confidently share with others how much they matter to God and how much they matter to us.

God's truths:

You Are Valuable

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." Eph. 3:17b-18

You Are Treasured 


"You have been set apart as holy to the Lord your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure." Deut. 14:2 (NLT)

You Matter 


"I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands." Is. 49:15b-16a

Jo-Ann