We Don't Pray to Inform God; We Pray to Involve God. God Already Knows What's Going On In Your Life. Give Your Entire Attention To What God Is Doing Right Now. You Must Reach A Place Where You Trust What He Said And Not What You See.

We Don't Pray to Inform God; We Pray to Involve God. God Already Knows What's Going On In Your Life. Give Your Entire Attention To What God Is Doing Right Now. You Must Reach A Place Where You Trust What He Said And Not What You See.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and do not get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." (Matthew 6:34 MSG). Today, many of you have the testimony that everything that could go wrong has gone wrong! 

You must reach a place where you trust what He said and not what you see? If you leave it in God’s hands. I mean, totally leave it in His hands it’s amazing the doors He will open to get what you need accomplished. Know this: trust God, not your circumstances are what matters most. Be content with what and who God has made available for you! It is enough! Sometimes people miss their blessings because they don’t like the help God sends them. 

Any troubles we encounter, we should go straight to God's Word for direction, encouragement & strength. Too many of us continue to struggle because we ignore the instruction manual, which is God's Word.

I have learned that a closed Bible is no good. Like no good! A word for today. You realize that the size of the situation and the size of the need does not change the size of your God at all! The size of your problem will never change the dimensions of your God! What may be too big for you will never be too big for Him! With Him, all things are possible, and they are likewise possible for you too because He's already told you that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you! So, stop listening to the words of your adversary, and start listening to the terms of your Advocate! He is fighting with you, and for you, you will not lose! He ALWAYS Causes Us to Triumph!

Now, Let’s look at Sampson: I already know Samson’s story, but might I ask YOU, “what have you tied up today?” Or better yet, “what have you ALLOWED to tie you up today?” “What/Who have you ALLOWED to bind you, tie you up and hold you back from the work assigned to your hands?” There is absolutely nothing you can walk in, where God is absent!

He’s all I’ve got left” (Lamentations 3:22-24 MSG); 

“For the Lord is always good. He is always loving and kind, and his faithfulness goes on and on to each succeeding generation” (Psalm 100:5 TLB); 

“God is faithful (reliable, trustworthy, and therefore ever true to His promise, and He can be depended on); by Him you were called into companionship and participation with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9 AMP) 

Make Sure You Are Not Carrying Something God Never Gave You! Your Breaking Point Can Be Your Breakthrough: You Are Called To Overcome Not To Become Overwhelmed! So Today, Unload! If You Don’t Pick A Day To Rest, Your Body Will Pick It For You. 

Are You Exhausted: Know This: GOD IS STILL LOOKING OUT FOR YOU? You are never without His presence, His protection, His provision. Handle what you can handle, then leave the rest in the hands of God. Do not Dare Let the Presence Of This Storm Indicate The Absence of God!

Before a violin can produce music, STRESS must be put on the strings! But pull strings too tightly, and they will SNAP! The same is true of you! Enough stress gets the juices flowing and helps you do what needs to be done, but beyond that, YOU SNAP! And everyone around you knows when it happens because your attitude gets bad, your temper gets short. Your mouth gets reckless, and your moods are swinging in every direction, you become sarcastic and demeaning, you become combative and pit-bull attacking, miserable and painful to be around! This is what happens when too much STRESS causes you to SNAP!

GET REAL WITH GOD: Under stress, a surge of negative emotions can be overwhelming, and unless you unburden your soul before God, you will explode at the wrong people! The Psalmist suggests: "Cast your cares on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall" (Psalm 55:22 NIV); "Trust God, my friends, and always tell Him each one of your concerns. God is our place of safety" (Psalm 62:8 CEV). It is no coincidence that many of the Psalms start with the Psalmist crying out to God for help and end with him rejoicing because he vented his pent-up frustrations! Maybe you should follow his example! "I am so weak that I can hardly write, I cannot read my Bible, I cannot even pray, I can only lie still in God's arms like a little child, and trust" (Hudson Taylor). Sometimes that alone, Is Enough! In other words, stop trying to act like Bionic Woman, 6 million Dollar Man, Superwoman, Superman, and the like. The truth is, you are flesh and blood and a lot more like the Hulk than any other (because one stressor too many and you are going to turn into a green explosion)! I know you are Spirit, and that Spirit has power, but it never diminishes the fact that you are still 100% human, with human limitations!

Think about it: Even Jesus had to deal with human emotions! He was compassionate; angry; greatly distressed; sleepy; in anguish; in pain; sorrowful; grieved; thirsty. He asked others to pray with Him and for Him. He wept. He had to deal with difficult family members, friends, disciples, and enemies. Daily He was confronted with the sick, those with ailments and disease, those in need of sight, hearing, speech, forgiveness. Jesus had a full Human plate, just as many of us have today. And yet He was still humble enough and honest enough to get away by Himself for alone Time with God. The Bible shares, "…Soon a large crowd of people had gathered to listen and be healed of their ailments. As often as possible, Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer." (Luke 5:16 MSG). And this is the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-seeing Jesus, the Son of the Living God! And yet, He needed time away because He never allowed His deity to mask his humanity. He shows us how to deal with varying daily struggles and yet be smart enough, human enough, to pull away and say enough. And if He can do it, surely, He desires the very same of us. In fact, in His own words: "Are you tired? Worn out and burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me, and you will recover your life. I will show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I will not lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me, and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG) It Sounds to me that God Himself does not mind you getting a little rest in! 

Rest is a weapon given to us by God. The enemy hates it because he wants us always to be stressed and preoccupied. You have permission to rest. You are not responsible for fixing everything that is broken. You do not have to try and make everyone happy. For now, take time for yourself. It's time to replenish." There's a period in a relationship where all you feel is love; and there is going to be a time where all you feel is anger, differences, and distant, and all of that is drowning out love, and I know that you are just going to want to quit. Do not. It is a part of the process; it is all a part of life, love, and happiness.

The Psalmist cried out: "I'm awake all night." (Psalm 77:4) In another translation, the Psalmist lets you know how he feels: "I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord; my life was an open wound that wouldn't heal. When friends said, "Everything will turn out all right," I did not believe a word they said. I remember God—and shake my head. I bow my head—then wring my hands. I am awake all night—not a wink of sleep; I cannot even say what is bothering me. I go over the days one by one; I ponder the years gone by. I strum my lute all through the night, wondering how to get my life together" (Psalm 77:2-6 MSG).  

You must go to the Word as David did. God's Will Is Found In God's Word. Stop Looking For A Sign, And Start Looking For A Verse! The truth is, You Can't Escape All Stress. When life gets overwhelming, remember these four simple things:

(1)  GOD'S STILL LOOKING OUT FOR YOU: I know what it feels like, I know what it looks like, I know what it sounds like, I know what it seems like, and still, I say God is Still Looking Out for You! When things look bad, remind yourself that God's bigger than your problem: "… Do not get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. GOD WILL HELP YOU DEAL WITH WHATEVER HARD THINGS COME UP WHEN THE TIME COMES" (Matthew 6:34 MSG) God has not and will not ever leave you or forsake you! Hebrews 13:5, "…for He has said, "I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!" (AMP) You, my friend, are never alone! You are never without His presence, His protection, His provision. Handle what you can handle, then leave the rest in the hands of God. Remember: YOU said you trust Him… now's the time to prove it! After all, His hands loved you enough to be pierced, nailed, bloodied, and disfigured indeed, and they love you enough to hold you in the midnight hour.

(2)  DON'T QUIT: Every Time you reach the breaking point, it is a test! You have before you a series of choices that will add up to either quitting or persevering through victory. Paul was flogged, thrown into jail, shipwrecked, and run out of town, but he refused to give in to circumstances, and in the end, he was able to say, "I have fought the good fight, I have FINISHED the race, and I have REMAINED FAITHFUL" (2 Timothy 4:7 NLT).  DON'T QUIT! Do not change jobs, change churches, or change spouses! Stick it out and wait for the Lord! He has promised you He has a guaranteed plan for your future: Jeremiah 29:11, "This is GOD's Word on the subject… I will show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I am doing. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for" (MSG), and last I checked, He Still Cannot Lie, and His Word Still Cannot Fail! ("…God is not man, one given to lies, and not a son of man changing His mind. Does He speak and not do what He says? Does He promise and not come through?" (Numbers 23:19 MSG); "…Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don't go back until they've watered the earth, doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, so will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They'll do the work I sent them to do, and they'll complete the assignment I gave them." Isaiah 55:8-11 MSG).  So, I reiterate, Don't Quit! No matter how many things are going wrong, God will come through at just the Right Time on your behalf!

(3)  IF IT'S NOT YOURS… DON'T TOUCH IT: Stress comes from micro-managing others and assuming responsibilities that are not yours! Establish healthy boundaries. If you are not sure what is appropriate, ask God to show you. In other words, adhere to His Word: "…mind your own business; do your job. You've heard all this from us before, but a reminder never hurts." (1 Thessalonians 4:11 MSG) MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT CARRYING SOMETHING GOD NEVER HANDED YOU! Selah!

(4) YOUR BREAKING POINT CAN BE YOUR BREAKTHROUGH: Ever heard the expression "hitting the wall?" Well, Runners use it when they are exhausted and feel like giving up. But seasoned athletes know if they push through the pain, they will get their second wind and experience a "runner's high" that will carry them over the finish line! So, don’t let the Overload Overwhelm you; you have a finish line to cross, so get your second wind, finish your assignment, then relax! Remember: You are called to Overcome, not to become Overwhelmed! So today, Unload!

Many of us are still driving along, not realizing that we are Directionally Challenged and Heading For a Crash because we will not slow down.

Isaiah 40:28 says, "Don't you know? Haven't you heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not grow tired or weary. His understanding is beyond human reach." (CEB) Now, if you did not know, the God you belong to, the God who lives in you, is inexhaustible! And that wonderful word "inexhaustible" is defined as: "of a never-ending supply; incapable of being used up because of its continual abundance; tireless; incapable of being worn out or worn out. This is talking about the God who holds you together when you are ready to fall apart!

His resources and wisdom just never, ever run out, but yours do, and do not feel bad because mine does as well. But as for God, He is never tired or weary! He is the One who created the ends of the earth (and still He is never tired or weary). And no matter what the problem or struggle is, His understanding of it is still beyond human reach. There is nothing we can bring to Him that so perplexes us, will ever stress Him! He can handle anything and everything now; if only we would stop thinking we can as well! God never runs low or runs out, but we do. The good news is that when we do, we still have our connection to Him!

The passage continues, "He gives power to the tired and worn out, and strength to the weak. Even the youths shall be exhausted, and the young men will all give up." (Vss. 29-30 TLB). Any words here that sound like you? "Weary, weak, tired, worn out, exhausted, feeble, faint, no might, stumble, fall?"

Furthermore, what is so attractive about this text is that even the "young" and the "selected" will not be exempt! You would think the young would have nothing to complain about, but the truth is told, life hits hard, and it does not matter what your age! Even the youth will be exhausted, and young men will all give up. And we cannot judge them either. Because you never know what someone's struggle is. You may be 60 and battling diabetes, but believe it or not, there's six-year-old battling cancer and 16-year-old battling addiction. No one is exempt from running on empty! Not even the "select"!

Well, Here's What God Promises To The Overwhelmed And Depleted Person: "But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power; they will lift their wings [and rise close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not grow tired." (vs. 31).

No Matter What You Are Going Through, God's Grace, Loving-kindness, and Mercy are Sufficient More Than Enough and Always Available REGARDLESS OF THE SITUATION! There is nothing you can bring to God that He cannot handle in your life! Nothing that weakens you can weaken Him! His power is more evident and effective IN YOUR WEAKNESS! That is why we can boast because no matter what weakens us, God will always be our reserve of strength! Whether it is divorce, debt, death, or diabetes, God can handle any situation that is draining you!

Now, I do not know about you, but when I go to someone for advice and help, I like to see that they have already sat where I am sitting. And who better to talk to about our weaknesses than One who has experienced weaknesses and overcome it?! This is our God who so desperately wants us to bring our failures, hurts, discouragement, disappointments, stress, and struggles to Him. He wants us to bring Him our weaknesses and emptiness to Him. He desires that we cast every care on Him!

Blessings

J.P. Olson

 

www.journeyintotheword.com

There Are Five Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John -And The Christian. Most People Never Read The First Four. People Are Reading Us As The Word And Work Of God. If Our World’s Getting Darker, Then Something Must Be Wrong With What Folks Are Reading...

Believers, we play a huge part in the eternity of others. People listen to what we say about our Savior, but more importantly, they watch to see if we are living what we say. Which reminds me of something I once read that said: “There are five Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, John – and the Christian. Most people never read the first four.” (Author Unknown) That observation, made a long time ago, could not be truer today. I, and you, are Living Epistles, we are Human Bibles that unbelievers are reading daily, whether we are at work, in church, in the laundromat, in traffic, or on a Friday or Saturday night. People are reading us as the Word and Work of God.

A Jesus-Follower’s Life Is Either A Reason For Someone To Check Out Jesus Or Check Out On Jesus. If We Drift Away From Him, We Take Watching Unbelievers With Us. The Failure Of The Messenger Does Not Change The Truth Of The Message.

Remember: The Focus Is The Savior And The Sinner, Not The Saint! With The Sinner Being So Vital, You Must Be Determined That Whatever “Roof” Is Separating Them From Jesus, Know That It Can Be Removed! How? “By You Caring Enough To Tear It Off!”

Here is one other very vital reality. The Failure Of The Messenger Does Not Change The Truth Of The Message. Jesus Said, “Follow Me.” Not follow My followers. He said, “I am the Way” (John 14:6). Not, “I will show you the way.” He told us, “I am the resurrection and the life…he who believes in Me will live, even though he dies” (John 11:25). Not, believe in someone who practices the Christian religion. No, He said, “Believe in Me. Follow Me.” 

Listen: we all have a role to play, just never confuse your part with God’s! We are a supporting actor, HE’S the star! Leave the Healing to Jesus.

In two months and 13 days, we will approach the end of 2024 and enter a New Year 2025 should Jesus delay His coming. I have a question? Who have you brought to Jesus or Who Are You Bringing To Jesus, Do Not Let Any Obstacle Stand In Your Way To Getting Someone To Jesus!

Mark 2:1-5, “After a few days, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and word got around that He was back home. A crowd gathered, jamming the entrance so no one could get in or out. He was teaching the Word. They brought a paraplegic to him, carried by four men. When they were not able to get in because of the crowd, THEY REMOVED PART OF THE ROOF and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher. Impressed by their bold belief, Jesus said to the paraplegic, “Son, I forgive your sins.” (MSG)

This man on the stretcher was no lightweight; after all, it took four men to carry him! And with that thought in mind, I ask you, are you sure you want to be a soul-winner for God? Because if the truth be told, it is far from light work! Winning souls bring with them everything that is attached to them. Which means bringing them to Christ may require you to help them carry their addictions; habits; bad decisions; chaotic past; jobless present; estranged marriage; dysfunctional children; bitter loneliness; generational curses; emotional distress; physical ailments; mental struggles; financial woes; spiritual confusion; and the like.

Are you ready to help carry all that they are carrying with them? Because some will come from broken homes; molestation; rape; desert seasons of discouragement; frustrations and depression. Some are coming from chemo; physical therapy; rehab; prison; the VA hospital; the psych ward; the nursing home; the emergency room; surgery; dialysis; radiation; shelter; divorce court; the soup kitchen; even from under the bridge, while sleeping in a cardboard box and pushing their entire life in a shopping cart!

Please understand that this is no light-weight assignment! It is not something you can get in and once they get too ‘heavy’ you want to get out!

Galatians 6:1-3, “Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.” (MSG) The Bible says, ‘…reach out to those…” Which lets us know, THEY ARE WITHIN REACH!

Someone who so desperately needs your Jesus is within arm’s distance, right at your fingertips, will you open your arms with the same open arms Jesus extended to you (before the cross; on the cross; and after the cross)? Matthew 9:35-38, “Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!” (MSG)

Will You Be Jesus’ Harvest Hands, even if the Harvest is Heavy? BE WARNED, while ministry sometimes looks easy, bringing people to Jesus really consists of some hard work. Such as:

1…BEING SENSITIVE TO THEIR NEEDS: Chances are someone close to you right now is lying on a “stretcher” inwardly! Oh, they look like they have got it altogether, but do not be fooled by their façade. They are hurting, and paralyzed—and they know it! When alone they cry, “God, unless You help me, I’m finished; I’ve messed up, and I’m so tired of playing cover up; send help ASAP before my mask falls off.” Therefore, you must be close enough, sensitive enough, to hear what they DON’T SAY! Because truthfully, some people are hurting so badly that they do not know what to say, and others have said all they can say and cannot find anymore more words, just silent tears. So, you must go the extra mile and be extra sensitive towards them. Pay attention to their words and actions and ask God for discernment so that you can hear what their words are not saying and see what their actions are not showing you. When someone keeps saying they are fine, you tend to just take them at their word and move on. Do not do it! Why? Because saying ‘I’m fine’ and then drinking just to fall asleep. People are saying ‘I’m fine’ then taking pills to dull the pain. People are saying ‘I’m fine’ while going home nightly to endure domestic abuse. People are saying ‘I’m fine’ when the rapist was released from prison. People are saying ‘I’m fine’ when they have received the diagnosis. People are saying ‘I’m fine’ when their marriage was on life support. People are saying ‘I’m fine’ when they did not have any money to feed their children and slept in the homeless shelter. People are saying ‘I’m fine’ when mentally they had already left the church. People are saying ‘I’m fine’ while debating if maybe their third suicide attempt might finally be the successful one. People are saying ‘I’m fine’ while already in a back-slidden condition. People are saying they are fine while preaching; teaching; praying; quoting scriptures; leading; overseeing; training and attending bible college and seminary. In other words, their ‘I’m fine’ is not always true, their ‘I am Fine”, was a lie! Therefore, be patient, be kind, be loving, be comforting, be supportive. They need it even when they do not ask for it. Philippians 2:1-4, “If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if His love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Do not push your way to the front; do not sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Do not be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.” (MSG) Remember, David had Jonathan; Barak had Deborah; Mary had Elizabeth; Elisha had Elijah; Ruth had Naomi and so on. In other words, all throughout the Bible people needed other people to help them to get through their go through. And someone near you, Needs You Too! Proverbs 17:17, “Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.” (MSG) Therefore, Be Sensitive!

2…CARRY THEM ALL THE WAY: We want to see people set free, BUT ONLY IF IT DOESN’T INVOLVE PERSONAL SACRIFICE ON OUR PART! But that is not how it works! Committing to bringing somebody to Jesus means BRINGING THEM THE WHOLE WAY! It means comforting, encouraging, and holding them securely ‘till they get there. And all of that takes time. Which means once again, you need to exercise tolerance, suffering, and patience. Their healing and deliverance may not come in one service, one prayer, one scripture, one sermon, one talk, truth is, it rarely does. So, you must be willing to wait for it with them. You cannot hold their hands and give a brief “it’s going to be alright by-and-by” prayer. No, you must fight on their behalf even when they have already decided to throw in the towel and give in, give up and give out. You must make sure they get started AND get finished. It is not about getting them to the altar, the real work comes after the altar, in their day-to-day lives where they must learn to trust God, obey God, follow God, talk to God, lean on God, when they feel at the same time God is nowhere to be found. In other words, if you do not see them in church, call, visit, send a letter, card, text, or email. But do something! Far too often we invite people to church (to support a function), but never follow up about their souls. It is about building the Kingdom of God; not building a big Church Audience. Then there are also times when someone does come to Christ. But then, we left them right there. We do not walk with them through their process of sanctification (you do remember that it is a process, don’t you?) And a ‘process’ is defined as, a series of actions or steps towards achieving a particular end.’ Did you get that? A Series of Steps, Not Just One Overnight Leap! Just as it took time for you, it will take time for them. A babe in Christ is much like an actual baby. They will have wobbly legs; they will stumble and fall; they will make a mess; and it is often hard for them to communicate what they are feeling, but be patient, they will grow if you keep nourishing them. Which is why you cannot allow them to go M.I.A. They are already at the point of giving up, which is easier to do when you feel no one cares about you or what you are going through. So, pace yourself and work with them all the way through to their deliverance and healing.

3…LEAVE THE HEALING TO JESUS: David cried, “LEAD ME to the Rock of safety” (Psalm 61:2). Hurting people know what they need—and so does God. So, once you LEAD them there, back off a little and leave the rest to Him. You are to represent God…not attempt to be Him. Take them as far as the Holy Ghost allows, and then leave them in the capable hands of their Savior to do what you cannot do. The inside job will always be completed by the One Who resides on the Inside! 1 Corinthians 6:16-20, “…Or didn’t you realize that your body is a SACRED PLACE, THE PLACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT? Don’t you see that you cannot live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So, let people see God in and through your body.” (MSG) Do your part as a soul winner, then let the Holy Ghost handle the rest! Truth is, too often we tend to look for outward signs of change, but Jesus addressed this paralyzed man’s inner condition (WHERE IT COUNTS MOST) before completing the outer work! “…Jesus said to the paraplegic, “Son, I forgive your sins.” So, do not dismiss God’s tendency to work in ways that do not make sense to you! Isaiah 55:8-11, “I DON’T THINK THE WAY YOU THINK. THE WAY YOU WORK ISN’T THE WAY I WORK.” God’s Decree. “For as the sky soars high above earth, so THE WAY I WORK SURPASSES THE WAY YOU WORK, AND THE WAY I THINK IS BEYOND THE WAY YOU THINK.

Listen: we all have a role to play, just never confuse your part with God’s! We are a supporting actor, HE’S the star! Leave the Healing to Jesus.

Remember, It’s About Him, It’s About Them, It’s Not About Us! So, do not look for a blessing, a merit badge, or name recognition. Just to hear Him say to the one you brought to Him, son/daughter you are healed, you are whole, you are forgiven, you are delivered, you are changed, you are free, you are saved, you have new and eternal life, all is well, is enough!

Note: In Palestine, the houses usually had a flat roof. Stairs on the outside led up to the roof that was made of beams and boards covered with packed earth. In other words, this was not an easy job. In fact, it was a dirty job! First, they had to believe in Jesus. They had to believe He alone was able to heal their friend if only they could get their friend to Him. Then once at the house they had another decision to make. Yes, Jesus is inside, and yes Jesus can heal him. But it is too crowded! We cannot get to Jesus, and we cannot get him to Jesus. So, do we quit or strategize? After all, this is not for US personally, it is for him. Truthfully, we will go to all lengths when it is about US or OUR breakthrough. But what decision do you make when the breakthrough has nothing to do with you? Well, they decide what their friend needs is Jesus, and if they cannot get him through the door, they will go through the roof! Now, it requires taking stairs to get the paralyzed man to the roof. You must get the image in your head of 4 men carrying a paralyzed man on a “… [THICKLY PADDED] QUILT OR MAT…”, while going up stairs! Then to get him to the roof and having to make another decision. Are we really going to put in the work of tearing an opening in this roof?! Because that means we must get tools, this was not done by hand any more than you can take your bare hands today and tear open a roof! So, we must get tools, tear an opening big enough to “…LET DOWN THE [THICKLY PADDED] QUILT OR MAT UPON WHICH THE PARALYZED MAN LAY.” Remember, the house is crowded so much so, that no one could get through the door, which lets you know how difficult it would be to get the man through a roof and to Jesus in an already packed house!

You see, unlike us, these four men were not focused on the crowd, they were focused on Jesus Christ! The difficulties did not matter; how hard this would be doing not matter; the fact that they would have to tear up a roof did not matter; the fact that the crowd was thronging Jesus did not matter. All that mattered to them was getting the man to the Man! And in some texts, it states they made a hole or dug an opening, but I like the one that says they uncovered the roof! They were playing no games! They went to work on someone else’s behalf! And this was so important to them that they were strategic in where they tore open the roof! It was, “ABOVE JESUS; ABOVE WHERE JESUS WAS; ABOVE JESUS HEAD; ABOVE WHERE JESUS WAS STANDING; ABOVE WHERE JESUS WAS SPEAKING” THEY DIDN’T FOCUS AN OUNCE OF ATTENTION ON THE CROWD, IT WAS ALL ABOUT GETTING THE PARALYTIC TO WHERE JESUS WAS STANDING AND SPEAKING! Do you care enough about people’s salvation, deliverance, and healing to TEAR OFF THE ROOF ON THEIR BEHALF, FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN GETTING THEM TO JESUS BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY?!

DON’T LET THE ROOF STOP YOU! THERE ARE SOULS THAT HAVE NEED OF YOUR HANDS!

Listen to the rest of the story: “Some religion scholars sitting there started whispering among themselves, “He cannot talk that way! That is blasphemy! God and only God can forgive sins.” Jesus knew right away what they were thinking, and said, “Why are you so skeptical? Which is simpler: to say to the paraplegic, ‘I forgive your sins,’ or say, ‘Get up, take your stretcher, and start walking’? Well, just so I am the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both . . .” (he looked now at the paraplegic), “Get up. Pick up your stretcher and go home.” And the man did it—got up, grabbed his stretcher, and walked out, with everyone there watching him. They rubbed their eyes, incredulous—and then praised God, saying, “We’ve never seen anything like this!” (MSG)

Now this last point might hurt, but it is the truth. Not everyone you help is going to say Thank you! The Bible says, “…And the man did it—got up, grabbed his stretcher, and walked out, with everyone there watching him…” (MSG) People of God, you must do the work of winning souls without the need of winning approval; validation; pats on the back; or even a thank you.

The Great Commission Does Not Always Come with Great Compliments and Commendations.

You do it because it is what you have been called to do, not what you are celebrated for doing. So, lead them to Jesus without looking to receive a reward for your work now. Remember, no reward here only means a great ‘well done’ reward later. We must be the light to bring someone to Jesus.

Truth is, darkness is always dark, right? No shock and no surprise there. But the actual problem is the failure of the light. And a lot of us Christians have been lamenting what we perceive as the growing spiritual darkness around us: Fewer people identifying themselves as Christians, more people identifying themselves as nonbelievers, long-time moral boundaries that are eroding or collapsing. Marriages are failing, children are straying, there is so many robberies, fires, slashing’s, murders, and the like. Let Christians tell it, this is the worst the world has ever been, the darkest it has ever been!

But might I throw a monkey wrench into the equation? Because when it is dark, the problem is not the darkness. It is the failure of the light to shine. And Jesus Himself said to His followers, “YOU are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14 NKJV). It appears something is wrong with the light, not the dark. The dark is fulfilling its purpose, but the light, however, is not!

It is never about the messenger, only the message. It is never about the clay, only the treasure within. It is never about the vessel, only the hand that molds it.

Another danger is that as our culture moves, and Christians tend to move with it. We stop speaking about sin, holiness, righteousness, repentance, because we need to say things in a way that brings them to the church (not changes them or even brings them to Christ) just brings them to the church. However, that is not the goal. The goal is to save souls. And we cannot accomplish that calling Sin: “affairs, struggles, issues, strongholds” NO, Sin is just that, Sin.

BUT there is an alternative, and His name is Jesus! Church, we must get back to a clear, concise message about Jesus. And the only way to do that is to preach, teach, and share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Not the latest cliché, not the latest movie title or dance, not the latest slang. But the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Completely Undiluted, Uncontaminated, Unaltered, Unadulterated! So, when people read your life, make sure they are reading a clear, concise, unchanged Word about Jesus!

Even Jesus made it all about Jesus with His simple invitation, “Follow Me” (Mark 1:17). “Come to Me” (Matthew 11:28). “Believe in Me” (John 14:1). The message we are to share is that people are to follow, come to and believe in JESUS! Not us, not our church, not our ministry, not our pastor, not our gifts, not our anointing, not our choir, not our praise breaks! But JESUS! In other words, I do not want nor to need to hear anything else but JESUS!

Can you imagine what would happen if we went back to preaching the Word, preaching Jesus, preaching the Cross, preaching holiness, preaching the Blood?! That message, uncompromised, unencumbered, delivered with love, is what it has always been. Romans 1:16, “The power of God at work, saving everyone who believes”. It is all about Jesus and His Cross and His Word. Stick to that!

Messengers who act like Jesus, a message that is all about Jesus. That is a bright light on an otherwise dark and dangerous stretch of road. We, my friends, are Human Bibles that unbelievers are reading daily. Make sure that the Message they read in our lives is that of the Unadulterated Word of God, the Name of Jesus and the Power of His Blood, Cross, Salvation, Healing, Deliverance, and Redemptive Life-Changing Power!

Do not Speak About the Horrible Gossip You Heard When You Can Speak About the Holy Ghost You Heed! Do not complicate the Message, do not confuse the readers, keep it simple…keep it about the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus!

“The mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but it’s sending capacity.”

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.journeyintotheword.com