Observe Who You Serve

Thistlebend Quiet eMoment

by Laurie Aker

Focus Scripture: Luke 5:17-26 ESV

17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees  
and teachers of the law were sitting there.
They had come from every village of Galilee  
and from Judea and Jerusalem.
And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.  
18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat  
and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.
19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd,
they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat  
through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.  
20 When Jesus saw their faith,  
he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.  
21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking  
to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy?
Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  
22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked,  
“Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?  
23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?  
24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority
on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man,  
“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”  
25 Immediately he stood up in front of them,  
took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.  
26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God.
They were filled with awe and said,  
“We have seen remarkable things today.”
______________________________

We all were once paralytics, unable to live for Christ,
unable to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel.
We lived for ourselves.
But now, we have been forgiven.

Jesus has commanded us to
get up, take up our mat, and walk.

Luke 5:24
I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.

We are to go home, to where the Lord has placed us
and live for the Gospel.
We are no longer to live like a paralytic.
We are no longer to live bound in sin,
laden with the concerns of this life,
and looking just like the world.

Ask yourself,
do you live as though Jesus forgave you of your sins?
Do you live like He healed you from your paralysis
and gave you a whole new life?
Do you live like Jesus died?

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ.  
It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  
And the life I now live in the flesh  
I live by faith in the Son of God,  
who loved me and gave himself for me.

Or do you live to for your own desires?
Do you live to seek your own way, your own fame?

Or do you seek the things of Christ?

Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be added to you.

TAKING GOD’S WORD TO HEART

The true measure of a man is whether he follows the Lord in his
inner life and private walk with God.

So often we measure a man, and ourselves,
with the external details of life.
But we must measure ourselves by our inner obedience.
We must observe ourselves and ask, “Who do we serve?”
We ourselves will struggle to know our inner motivations and desires.
Even our family members may not be sure of who we serve.
We need God’s help.
We have to ask God to search our hearts.

Who do you serve?
Joshua once said, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”

Listen as he speaks to the Israelites.

Joshua 24:16-24
16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that
we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods,  
17 for it is the LORD our God who brought us  
and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery,  
and who did those great signs in our sight
and preserved us in all the way that we went,  
and among all the peoples through whom we passed.  
18 And the LORD drove out before us all the peoples,
the Amorites who lived in the land.  
Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”  
 19 But Joshua said to the people,  
“You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God.  
He is a jealous God;  
he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins.  
20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods,
then he will turn and do you harm and consume you,  
after having done you good.”
21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the LORD.”
22 Then Joshua said to the people,  
“You are witnesses against yourselves
that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.”  
And they said, “We are witnesses.”
23 He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you,
and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel.”  
24 And the people said to Joshua,
“The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.”

Pray and meditate on this passage.

If Jesus has healed you from your paralysis,
if He has forgiven you of your sins,
will you pick up your mat and follow Him?
Will you “put away the foreign gods that are among you and
incline your heart to the LORD,” the God who is
the author of your salvation?

Joshua 24:24
And the people said to Joshua,
“The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.”

MEDITATE or MEMORIZE
Write out the following passage from Luke 5 and recite it 3 times.
Take it with you throughout the day.

23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?  
24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority
on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man,  
“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”  
25 Immediately he stood up in front of them,  
took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.   

PRAYER

Lord, you alone are God.
You alone have the power and the authority to forgive sins.
You came to earth to save your people from their sins.
Help us to pick up our mats and follow you.

In His hands for His glory,

Laurie
_____________________________

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Do You Ever Feel Paralyzed?

Thistlebend Quiet eMoment

by Laurie Aker

Focus Scripture: Luke 5:17-26 ESV

17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees  
and teachers of the law were sitting there.
They had come from every village of Galilee  
and from Judea and Jerusalem.
And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.  
18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat  
and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.
19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd,
they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat  
through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.  
20 When Jesus saw their faith,  
he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.  
21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking  
to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy?
Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  
22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked,  
“Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?  
23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?  
24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority
on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man,  
“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”  
25 Immediately he stood up in front of them,  
took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.  
26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God.
They were filled with awe and said,  
“We have seen remarkable things today.”
______________________________

Do you ever feel like you are the paralytic?
That you are unable to move or even cry out to Him for help?
Or that you find yourself in the midst of a situation and
don’t know which step to take next.
You feel paralyzed and can’t make a move?
Are there times when even the Word of God
cuts like a knife and seems to bring no comfort?
Times when you may have been sucker punched
and all the wind has been knocked out of you
and you just can’t get up?
Times when you may have been beaten, pummeled, scoffed at,
rejected, misunderstood, run over, and stepped on?
When you find yourself so heavy laden that you can’t lift a limb?
When you are so weak or confused
that you cannot climb that roof?

You don’t want to be unfaithful, but you are hurting and lay limp.
You want to trust in the Lord and to be pleasing to Him,
but something is standing in between
your “want to” and your ability to.

In that hour we need to humble ourselves and call on our friends.
We need to ask them to lift us up,
put us on a mat, climb the roof, lower us down,
and place us before Jesus.

He does hold the whole world in His hands.
He alone can heal all, even the paralytic.

MEDITATE or MEMORIZE

Write out the following passage from Luke 5 and recite it 3 times.
Take it with you throughout the day.

23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?  
24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority
on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man,  
“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”  
25 Immediately he stood up in front of them,  
took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.   

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, thank you for faithful friends
who are willing to take me in prayer before your throne of grace.

In His hands for His glory,

Laurie
_____________________________

/by

Lower Your Mat Before Him

Thistlebend Quiet eMoment

by Laurie Aker

Focus Scripture: Luke 5:17-26 ESV

17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees  
and teachers of the law were sitting there.
They had come from every village of Galilee  
and from Judea and Jerusalem.
And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.  
18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat  
and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.
19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd,
they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat  
through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.  
20 When Jesus saw their faith,  
he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.  
21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking  
to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy?
Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  
22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked,  
“Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?  
23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?  
24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority
on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man,  
“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”  
25 Immediately he stood up in front of them,  
took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.  
26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God.
They were filled with awe and said,  
“We have seen remarkable things today.”
______________________________

We need the power of the Lord!
There is no healing apart from Him.
We can so easily forget that He holds the world in His hands.
Only He can open the gates of heaven,
only He can open our eyes,
only He can unlock our ears,
only He can make the lame to walk
and only He can raise the dead.

We can pray faithfully and continually
but only God can answer.
We cry out to him day and night, night and day
seeking rescue, relief, or resolution.
Sometimes He answers swiftly,
but other times we are met with silence,
seemingly endless silence without answer.
It is not our will that needs to be done.
It is His will that must be done.
It is His mighty power alone that can save.
In His perfect time.
In His perfect love.

He does according to His will in heaven and on earth
and no one can stay His hand (cf. Daniel 4:35).
Our hearts cry out from within
“How long O Lord, how long?” (cf. Psalm 13:1).
How long have you been waiting, crying out to Him?
How weary are you with your moaning?
Listen to the psalmist’s plea.

Psalm 6:1-10

1 O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing;
heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled.
3 My soul also is greatly troubled.
But you, O LORD– how long?
4 Turn, O LORD, deliver my life;
save me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5 For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who will give you praise?
6 I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My eye wastes away because of grief;
it grows weak because of all my foes.
8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The LORD has heard my plea;
the LORD accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;
they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.

TAKING GOD’S WORD TO HEART

We all need the power the Lord!
We must remind ourselves that there is no power apart from Him.
We so easily forget. We fret, we run, we moan.
But we must put our faith in Him and in His power.

We must carry our mat of prayer to Him.
Climb to the roof,
lower it down,
and place it before Him.

He does hold the whole world in His hands.
We must look to Him.
He alone can open the gates of heaven.
He alone can rescue and deliver.
He alone can make the lame to walk.

MEDITATE or MEMORIZE

Write out the following passage from Luke 5 and recite it 3 times.
Take it with you throughout the day.

23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?  
24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority
on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man,  
“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”  
25 Immediately he stood up in front of them,  
took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.   

PRAYER

Lord God, I lift up to you the cares and concerns
of my heart.  Please come quickly to my aid!

In His hands for His glory,

Laurie
_____________________________

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