Lessons... Some Are New and Others Are Continuous

This year I believe is the Year of Faith Building. God is just continuously pouring out His wisdom on me and everyone around me it feels like. I'm so loving it. He is giving us all little, and BIG, challenges to overcome and through them come the lessons learned. God is doing something and the more time goes on I can see the evidence of His presence.

Lesson of The Paralytic and Friendship 

For anyone that has been around me since I visited CBC all I have been talking about (besides the awesomeness of the college) is how amazing Robert Madu was. 

He gave a message about Mark 2: 1-12; Jesus forgives and heals the paralyzed man. 

¹ A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. ² They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. ³ Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. ⁴ Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

 ⁶ Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ⁷“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

 ⁸ Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? ⁹ Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? ¹⁰ But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, ¹¹ “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ¹² He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

He continued from this to talk about how the thing we remember is the miracle of healing and that when we hear Him say you are forgiven that we are like well duh now heal him. When in reality Him saying that not only was life-changing for the man, but He was basically telling everyone He was God. SO remember next time Jesus says something that sounds ignorant, it isn't, it is probably the most important. 

Yes the above might be a good lesson to learn, but it isn't the one I want to focus on. The first is the true miracle of the man. The man wanted to be physically healed, but he didn't realize the main problem in his life was his sin. He was in the presence of God, yet he was full of sin.  We can go to church, stand in front, raise our hands, and worship and still be struggling with the same problem we always have. We need to be forgiven! Being surrounded by Jesus isn't enough! We need to be filled with Him!

The second is the friends of the man. The man's friends cut off a roof to see him healed. Cut off a stinking roof! Guys, we need people like this in our life. We need people who will wade through the depths to bring us back to Jesus. They keep us strong and help to bring us to Jesus when we are weak. I have had this hold true continuously in my life. My group of "Little Missionaries" has inspired me so much! They are igniting the flame within my soul again and inspire me to be there best I can be in God. 

Lesson of Availability and Faith

God uses those who make themselves available, not those who are able.

I have been struggling with this concept for a long time. I have many abilities and I tend to only use those skills instead of developing my inabilities. I like to avoid things that make me feel unable. The funny thing is God wants me to use those things; the things I am terrified to try and/or fail. He wants me to be able to preach, dance, and to evangelize. I am not good at these things and so I acted like a Jonah and ran from them, avoided them. But why? If I believe in the God who created everything, why am I afraid? He is teaching me that if I make myself available for Him to use, regardless of my ability, He will use me and give me ability. All I need is to step out in faith. So as I give up my fears to God I continue tio gain ability. Not only ability, but faith, freedom, and a purpose. 

"Here am I. Send me."

- Isaiah