Well it is September 2, 2009.. Which just so happens to be my brother Joe's 17th Birthday...
Am I bummed I missed yet another Family birthday? The Answer to that is YES!!!
But GOD knows, I know that he knows how much I miss my family and wish I could see them, I know HE KNOWS..
As I write that sentence I also will write that I know that I am supposed to be here for such a time as this.. God has his hand on Andy and Henry and my lives... We are following God's will, and yet it is hard and Good at the same time.
I get to be home with Henry all this first year of his life and see all his changes, and I love this.
I am writing all this because I want to share a little bit about Missions from my standpoint.
I was reading in my bible today and found a sermon that I had written notes on, this sermon was written and told by my Andy... It encouraged me on this day, and I thought it might do the same for you out there.
It is one of my favorites of his and I thought I would share it to all the blog readers out there:
Title: Are you a Mat Carrier?
Mark Chapter 2 verses 1-12
Jesus Heals a Paralytic 1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.
2 So many gathered 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 paralytic, 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 and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralysed man was lying on.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 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 the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'?
10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . . He said to the paralytic,
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!
Basically the question we ask is: Are you a Mat carrier?
The 4 guys in this story were Mat carriers, they put the needs of their friend above their own needs.
Missions is exactly this, putting others above yourself. Carrying them to Jesus. Getting people to Jesus who cannot get to him on their own.
Forget about yourself for awhile.
Try to think about the people in your life, is their anyone you could carry to Jesus?
The cool thing about these men are they left with some eternal changes in their life:
1. Their Faith was stronger, by putting others in front of them, it shows there faith was tested.
verse 5 says Jesus saw THEIR faith.. The faith of the mat carriers.
2. They refused to give up. There was no easy way to get the guy on the mat to Jesus, so they litterally made a whole in the roof.. Would that not have been Crazy to see? When was the last time I was that desperate?
Anywho, this was challenging to me, as the fall is coming and we are starting our ministries up here and I want to have a fresh attitude and perspective..
I think we can all find people in our life who need to be carried everynow and then.. I know I have been one of them.
Chao for now
