Get up and walk!

I have been recording Life Today with James Robinson on Wednesdays. Why Wednesdays? Well, that's when I can see and listen to Beth Moore talk to me in my own living room. So, if you don't get that channel or are unable to watch, every Wednesday I will be highlighting points from my notes.



Luke 5:19-21
19When 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.
20When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."
21The 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?"

Two obstacles that get in the way of our faith:

• crowds - We have to stop thinking in a crowd that what Jesus said was not for us.
• Pharisees - we keep people where they've been because we remember where they've been and what they've done.

Luke 5:22-25

22 But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?
23 - "Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins have been forgiven you,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?
24 -"But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,"--He said to the paralytic--"I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home."
25 -Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God.

Beth made these points that really hit home:

• Not all healing involves forgiveness
• All forgiveness involves healing
• Some cannot accept forgiveness

Then she said this:

"We go on with our lives, our heads hung in shame, and we continue to repent, thinking we are unworthy. Do we call that humility? God calls it unbelief. When we are paralyzed by past sin, we are reaffirming that we are not really forgiven. Our new reaction should be, 'Thank you, Jesus!'"

How many times do I go to God and tell him I am sorry for something that happened in the past? How many times do I relive it in my head and bring up those feelings again? All the while, reaffirming that Jesus isn't enough...His forgiveness isn't enough...I still need to dwell on it. When my mind starts to take me back to what I have done, I should automatically respond in praise. Thank you Jesus for giving me a clean slate! Thank you for your mercy and grace!

She ended with this:

"The hardest place to live out your healing is at home. They saw you at your worst. Let God 'let you out'. He'll believe the change is real before anyone else. Get up and walk!"