Cut It Out!

Luke 5:^18-19 “Some men arrived carrying a paraplegic… looking for a way to …set him before Jesus. When they couldn’t find a way in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof, removed some tiles, and let him down in the middle of everyone, right in front of Jesus.” (MSG)

Again, I pray that God will bless you with real and genuine friends in the Name of Jesus. This man’s friends were not only real and genuine, but they were also deeply committed to him. It is easy to have friends when you have prospect or when things are going well for you. But when you are immobile and people still stand with you, those are your real friends. When you are doing well, making good money, and have a lot of friends, be careful. You cannot tell who your real friends are until you have nothing to offer, or you seemly have nothing to offer. The mistake human beings make is that they write people off, thinking they have nothing to offer. But there is no one on Earth who has nothing to offer.

Taking it further, when you are immobile, the people who stand with you are your real friends. This man was immobile, as in he had zero mobility! Most people would have abandoned him, but not his friends. You need friends like his in your life, friends who will stand with you through seasons. And the converse is also the case; you have to be such a friend who stands with friends through seasons and even when they are immobile. This paraplegic man had real friends. Again, I pray that God will bless you with real friends in the Name of Jesus. Luke 5:18 “Some men took a man who was not able to move his body to Jesus…” (NLV, emphasis added). In the Name of Jesus, for everyone who is spiritually immobile, your movement is restored. For everyone who is mentally immobile, your mental mobility is restored. For everyone struggling with physical movement, your physical movement is restored in the Name of Jesus.

Luke 5:¹⁸ “Some men took a man who was not able to move his body to Jesus. He was carried on a bed. They looked for a way to take the man into the house where Jesus was.” The friends carried this man, only God knows for how long, and the distance they travelled to get to where Jesus was. Luke 5:¹⁹ “But they could not find a way to take him in because of so many people…” NLV, emphasis added). These men could have turned back after all; they could not find a way and couldn’t even enter the house where Jesus was. The truth is that excuses do not make miracles.

Stop making excuses! You came, the place was full, and you could not find a way. If you turn around, it shows that you are not ready. Guess what they did next? They climbed to the roof. Luke 5:¹⁹ “…They made a hole in the roof over where Jesus stood. Then they let the bed with the sick man on it down before Jesus.” (NLV, emphasis added). Wow!

Prayer: Father, help me see open doors and not obstacles, in the Name of Jesus. Amen!