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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: What a friend we have in Jesus!

A friend is someone who will stand by you in the good and the bad of life. Especially, in the bad. Knowing that you have someone in your corner when many others walk away is a wonderful feeling. Jesus is our friend who will stand by us when everyone else walks away.

There are lyrics to an old hymn that goes, “What a friend we have in Jesus. All our sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege it is to carry everything to God in prayer.” Do we look at prayer as a privilege? Do we feel blessed that we can carry our burdens to God in prayer? What about the burdens of those around us?

I am reminded of a story in Luke; Jesus was in a house preaching. A large crowd was gathered there at the house. They were all pressed in and it was impossible to get from the back of the crowd to Jesus.

Luke 5:17-19 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. 18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. 19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

This man was very sick. These men were determined to get their friend to Jesus. They believed that He could heal him. Sometimes it takes determination to get a prayer answered. Sometimes it takes peeling back a few roof tiles to see things accomplished. How far are we willing to go to see someone get what they need from God?

Do we really pray when asked to do so, or do we say a couple of quick sentences in passing? Dear Lord, help so and so receive their healing. Amen.

There are times when it takes our faith to push a prayer through. There are times we have to take on their cause as if it were our own. If we were in the position of that man, needing healing and could not get to Jesus, wouldn’t we want someone to go the extra mile with us?

Luke 5:20-25 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? 22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? 23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? 24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. 25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

When the Pharisees saw what had taken place, there was little that they could say, because the man was healed. Jesus honored the faith of that man’s friends. It was a good day for everyone but the self-righteous religious people.

We have to be willing to sacrifice and stand in the gap for those who cannot reach Jesus on their own. Today, there could be many reasons a person may not be able to reach Jesus. They could be too weak physically. They could be bound in a prison of guilt and drug or alcohol addiction. They may feel they are unworthy to pray. The enemy loves to tell people that they have gone too far for God to ever forgive them.

The reason is not as important as what we need to do to help. God will lead us to those we are supposed to help. We must be willing to peel back the roof if necessary and get them to Jesus. He has already done the hard part, he died for us all. They can be set free, as long as we are faithful and lead them to Jesus.

I am thankful for the friends that I have in my inner circle. I am thankful, for my wonderful family. But I am most thankful, that I know a man called Jesus, who will be with me to the end.

Thanks for watching,

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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