IBS Week 5

NICK:

SATURDAY MAY 13, 2017  MARK 2:9-12 WHICH IS EASIER, TO SAY TO THE PARALYTIC, YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN, OR TO SAY, RISE, TAKE UP YOUR BED AND WALK? BUT 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 RISE, PICK UP YOUR BED, AND GO HOME. AND HE ROSE AND IMMEDIATELY PICKED UP HIS BED AND WENT OUT BEFORE THEM ALL, SO THAT THEY WERE ALL AMAZED AND GLORIFIED GOD, SAYING, WE NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

 THE SCRIBES IN THE SCENE COULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR OWN EYES THAT JESUS REALLY DID FORGIVE THIS MANS SINS BECAUSE OF THIER LACK OF FAITH AND BELIEF. SO JESUS DECIDED TO GIVE THEM PROOF OF HIS AUTHORITY ON EARTH. HE WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING EQUALY AS IMPOSSIBLE FROM AN EARTHLY PERSPECTIVE. HE WAS GOING TO HEAL A MAN OF HIS PARALYSIS SO THAT THEY KNOW HE HAS THE POWER TO FORGIVE THIS MAN HIS SINS, REGARDLESS IF THEY BELIEVED OR NOT. HE HEALED THE MAN AND HE JUST WALKED OUT OF THE ROOM. I CAN JUST IMAGINE THE ROOM IN DEAD QUIET AND PEOPLE JUST IN ABSOLUTE AWE OF WHAT JUST HAPPENED. IT SAYS THAT THEY WERE AMAZED AN GLORIFIED GOD. THIS EVENT WAS SO INCREDIBLE THAT ALL THEY COULD DO IS GLORIFY GOD. ANOTHER THING IS THAT EVEN THOUGH JESUS HAS ALL AUTHORITY ON EARTH, HE NEVER USED IT FOR BAD OR RETALIATION OF DEFENSE OF EVIL AGAINST HIM. HE ONLY USED IT FOR GOOD. WE HAVE TO HAVE THE FAITH OF THE FRIENDS OF THE PARALYTIC WHO BROUGHT HIM TO JESUS. WE HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT JESUS WANTS TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE WITH PEOPLE. WE HAVE TO BELIEVE HE WANTS TO DO THE SAME FOR OTHERS AS HE HAS DONE FOR US. HE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DO SO, WE JUST HAVE TO BELIEVE AND HAVE FAITH THAT HE WILL, FAITH THAT HE CAN SEE.

 

Julie:

 

IBS Field Time Week 5

Colossians 2:16-19 – Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.  These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.  Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

“Let no one pass judgment on you…” and “Let no one disqualify you…” both really spoke to me and ministered to me.  The passing of judgment is regarding the things that we involve ourselves with.  In the old testament, before Jesus, this included Jewish ceremonies to advance spirituality.  Today this means, in my life, raising my child as a Christian the way I see fit in the Lord.  I will not be moved by the world any longer in regards to what I know is the right way to raise Trent.  I had always fallen back into the judgment of other people and let them shake me.  And in fear of them, I changed my way of raising Trent to a more worldly way instead of staying on the Godly path.  The disqualifying of one is in regards to strong self-disciple and strong worship.  Some have looked on my behavior as a Christian and said that “I have taken it too far” or “I’m too radical” or “I’m trying too hard to earn God’s love”.  I have let myself be embarrassed for my outward display of love that I have for Jesus, and I have let it stunt my growth with Him.  I have to remember that only God can truly pass judgment me on my day of going home to heaven, and only He can convict me for over doing any act of disciple or worship for Him.  He alone keeps me pure and grounded.  So why should I let the world sway me with their judgment and disqualifying when I do not answer to them?  (Yes, I do answer to my husband and authority – but only in what’s pleasing to the Lord and I submit to them unto the Lord.)  I will be in prayer to not let the criticism of the world sway me but instead draw me closer to Jesus.  I have to remember that the world tried to judge and disqualify Him first.