Strength for the Pathetic

Jesus heals the most desperate person

“Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

Mark 2

 What do you say to a crippled man lying on the sidewalk? Jesus believed the impossible would happen when He command the man to stand up. Now the majority of us disciples would’ve gathered around, found an extra blanket and a ham-and-cheese sandwich. We then would try to steer the talk around the doctrine of God’s sovereignty and assure him that God works things out for our good. Some of us would even ask him if we could pray for him.

But Jesus will have none of that. He seems blunt and forward as He commands the man to move; to stand up on his own two feet. You must understand, when Jesus commands something, He gives the strength to accomplish that command. When Jesus speaks, things happen. This was the voice that calmed the sea, this voice would raise the dead! When He spoke to this man, the creative power of the complete universe was taking control.

As he obeyed, and willed his body to stand in obedience, he was healed. We are so much like this man. When it comes to spiritual things, it seems all we can do is lie on the sidewalk. Of course, we have our familiar mat, and we’ve learned to recognize those who can give money. But we can’t move, we are completely immobile. Despair is the norm for this “existence”.

Young people are especially afflicted with fear over following Christ. They don’t think they can do it. They just don’t possess the capabilities and they know it. Others, with habits, are crippled with bondages that paralyze them. Years and years they lie in the same place and cannot move forward. This is a very real issue today.

But Jesus sees. He knows that His healing must be something that is believed into. The power is not the issue. He has unlimited strength which has no equal. He is a massive power station, and you have a 30 watt bulb!

The real issue, when its all said and done, is will you obey the Voice? The order from your creator and friend to stand up, and walk. Don’t worry about marshalling your strength, gritting your teeth, and dispelling negative thinking. It has not worked before, and it will not work now. The only thing that will work is too do exactly what He says. For many of us, we are to rise up off the sidewalk–and to walk!

“The Lord will not save those he cannot command.”  A.W. Tozer

In His Steps, Reading #52

“What would Jesus do in the center of a civilization that hurries so fast after money that the very girls employed in great business houses are not paid enough to keep soul and body together without fearful temptations so great that scores of them fall and are swept over the great boiling abyss; where the demands of trade sacrifice hundreds of lads in a business that ignores all Christian duties toward them in the way of education and moral training and personal affection? Would Jesus, if He were here today as a part of our age and commercial industry, feel nothing, do nothing, say nothing, in the face of these facts which every business man knows?

“What would Jesus do? Is not that what the disciple ought to do? Is he not commanded to follow in His steps? How much is the Christianity of the age suffering for Him? Is it denying itself at the cost of ease, comfort, luxury, elegance of living? What does the age need more than personal sacrifice? Does the church do its duty in following Jesus when it gives a little money to establish missions or relieve extreme cases of want? Is it any sacrifice for a man who is worth ten million dollars simply to give ten thousand dollars for some benevolent work? Is he not giving something that cost him practically nothing so far as any personal suffering goes? Is it true that the Christian disciples today in most of our churches are living soft, easy, selfish lives, very far from any sacrifice that can be called sacrifice? What would Jesus do?

Continue reading “In His Steps, Reading #52”

Administrative Update & 10,000 Hits

Posts Since September 20, 2009

The ministry of Broken Believers is growing and being strengthened.  You may have noticed, but over 35% is directly dealing with issues of mental illness, and 60% of our posts deal with regular discipleship topics.  We have as of today a total of 358 posts, with 221 categories, and a total of 10,000 distinct hits!

That staggers me, to say the least.  I never thought that this little blog would touch so many.  And that I, a disabled man, and taking on a new ministry would be used in this way.  I am trusting in the Holy Spirit and His care over me and BB.

I want to thank you for helping to make this possible.  Now lets go to 20,000!

That's the spirit!

In His Steps, Reading #51

In His Steps

Chapter 31

 

He had planned when he came to the city to return to Raymond and be in his own pulpit on Sunday. But Friday morning he had received at the Settlement a call from the pastor of one of the largest churches in Chicago, and had been invited to fill the pulpit for both morning and evening service.

At first he hesitated, but finally accepted, seeing in it the hand of the Spirit’s guiding power. He would test his own question. He would prove the truth or falsity of the charge made against the church at the Settlement meeting. How far would it go in its self-denial for Jesus’ sake? How closely would it walk in His steps? Was the church willing to suffer for its Master?

Continue reading “In His Steps, Reading #51”