Go Extreme

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 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 paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins  are forgiven." (Mark 2:1-5, NIV)
So these guys could have decided to wait for the group to go away, or to go to Jesus when he comes out. But they didn't, they climbed up on the roof - which was flat - and started digging a hole for the paralyzed man. The hole must've been huge because they lowered the bed with the man on it. Talk about a serious skylight!They did it because they had faith in Jesus.
Now here's an example that happened to me. One night, I wanted to get some pizza. This pizza wasn't ordinary pizza, it was Pappa Johns pizza.So anyway, when I got there, the line was HUGE, so I go away thinking that the line would shrink. But the second time I went back it was still long so I went away the second time. The third and final time I went back and it was closed. So I didn't get any pizza. If I just waited I would've got pizza, but it would be cold. What I should've done was taken the initiative and been in the front of the line.
So the guys that brought the paralyzed man wanted Jesus right then and there. So they took the initiative and dug a hole in the roof. They didn't wait because chances are they wouldn't have did what they came there to do. Jesus might have been gone when they came back.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better, she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." Immediately he bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touches my  clothes?"
This lady who was really ill walked up behind Jesus in a huge crowd and just... touched him? She had so much faith that she knew that she would be healed. And she was healed. Did you notice that Jesus looked for her? He was being touched by a bunch of people but he looked for her. Why? Because of  her faith and that some of his power left him and healed the lady. He felt that because when that lady touched him, she had faith.
The men and this lady both went to the extremes to get to Jesus. Would you? Or would you go and wait in line for him, or let the line get shorter?

This is a video in contrast with my latest blog "Are You a Fan or a Follower?"

Are You a Fan or a Follower?

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
(Mathew 16:24, NIV)
How far will you go with this? You may deny yourself, but will you take up your cross and follow Jesus?
The cross is not a pretty thing. It was a torture method used by the Roman government to strike fear in the people so they don't go out of line. Your cross is anything that causes you to sin.
You see, there's two types of Christians.
The first one is a fan of Jesus. A fan of Jesus is someone who does not take up his cross. A fan could be someone who accepted Jesus into his heart, but limits Jesus in parts of his life. They may say, "I'm going to a restaurant to eat with my friends tonight. So Jesus, don't come with me." Or a fan could be someone who is a "devoted" believer of Christ, but won't stand up for what's right, or doesn't stand up for his faith. Now I'm not just talking to you guys, I'm also talking to myself.
Now the second one is being a follower of Jesus Christ. A follower of Christ is someone who will take up his cross daily and follows Jesus. He's also someone who gives Jesus his all and gives him his heart. Not part of his heart, but all of his heart. He's also a person who walks by faith. A follower is someone who lives according to the Bible.
Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.  (Mathew 16:25, NIV)
A fan could be someone who wants to save his life. But the truth is, he'll lose his life. The reason being is, they accept Jesus just as their savior, not their Lord.
A follower is someone who may lose their life for Jesus. He will find his life in Heaven. That's because he accepted Jesus as both his Savior and his Lord. Now I'm not saying followers will be killed but in some countries they could.
The fan and the follower will each get the rewards they deserve. The follower will receive a greater reward than the fan.
Let me say one more thing, a fan is someone who denies Jesus before his friends. The consequences of that is, Jesus will deny that person in front of his father, and he he will not enter the Kingdome of Heaven, unless he becomes a truly devoted follower of Christ.

Qualified?

 As Jesus was walking besides the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come follow me" Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." (Mathew 4:18-19, NIV)

Now I think Peter and Andrew tried to become Rabbis but sadly, they were not able to become Rabbis. In other words, they failed. So when the greatest Rabbi in the world asked these two fishermen to follow him why wouldn't they?

The Bible says they immediately left their nets and followed him. Let me point this out, they were not qualified. Jesus did not call them because they were qualified. He qualified them when He called them.
You may feel like you failed in life because you lost your job, or something else like that. Guys, God doesn't care about that. I mean He does care about you, but He cares more about your heart. Maybe you are in the situation for a reason. God will do something great in your life. If you feel like you fail, think about Peter and Andrew.

God will still call you. There's this saying that says "God doesn't call the qualified,he qualifies the called." You don't get a call from God because you took a test and you answered all the questions correctly and you qualified. God calls you so He can qualify you.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.  (Revelation 3:20, NIV )

Let's review this passage. It's about God standing in front of your heart and He's calling you. He wants to be in your heart. If you answer Him, He will enter your heart and stay there forever.
So those who are reading this and think that you're not qualified or that you failed, when God calls you just answer his call and He will qualify you

Now let me ask you something, will you answer His call?

Filled for Battle

To be filled for battle is being filled by the Holy Spirit. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit you are equipped for battle. After you are filled by the Holy Spirit you will be led into battle by the Holy Spirit so you may win.
 For example Luke 4: 13. “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
 The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone,’’
 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And said to him, ‘I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to  anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’’
 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of,’ he said. ‘throw yourself down from here. For it is written:
‘He will command his angels
Concerning you
To guard you carefully;
They will lift you up in their hands,
So that you will not strike your
Foot against a stone.’’
Jesus answered, ‘It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to a test.’’
 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.”
 So this passage is about the temptation of  Jesus Christ, correct? The first thing it says is “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit…” therefore before he went to the desert he got filled by the Holy Spirit. He was equipped for battle. Next it says that he was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert. He didn’t go there by himself, he was led into battle.
 Why do I call it a battle? Because he was tempted by the devil. He was led there to meet the devil in battle so he could win. There were three different temptations and Jesus overcame them all. Not because he did it on his own. But because he was full of the Holy Spirit. He overcame it because he was spiritually strong enough.
 
 You are in a war-zone RIGHT now! You are led into battle by he Holy Spirit so you can win! But remember, you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit -equipped with the Holy Spirit- before you are led into battle.
 When you are in a battle and are filled and led by the Holy Spirit you will win! You need to know that even when things are tough you will be ok!
 The Holly Spirit desires to make Jesus Christ real to us by filling us with himself. John 16:13 says: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.” In other words The Holy Spirit will lead you into truth.
 See the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth. No matter what’s happening around you the Holy Spirit will guide and lead you out of it and into truth. When you are in a battle and are  on God’s side and led by the Holy Spirit you will win. God want’s to fill you for battle.
 To be filled with the Holy Spirit equips me to fight and win the battle.

 Remember these things:
1. First you need to be equipped with the Holy Spirit by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
2. Then you will be led into battle by the Holy Spirit.
3. Finally you will win the battle- as long as you were led and equipped by the Holy Spirit.