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What God Can Do Through the Faith of Friends

I love the story in Mark (2:1-12) where the paralyzed man is healed. So…this dude is completely paralyzed–but his boys are determined to see Him healed.

DETERMINED.

They believed! They believed if they could JUST get their friend to Jesus–he would be healed.

It seemed impossible. The crowd was too much. Everything stood in their way. But they wanted to take him to Jesus because they cared about him and wanted to see him healed.

When they realize they aren’t getting into the house where Jesus is because the door is completely blocked by a crowd—and they sure as heck aren’t getting in carrying their friend in as I’m sure it took 4 of them to carry him. So–these crazy guys come up with a plan. They decide to WILDLY climb the roof WITH their paralyzed friend on a stinkin’ mat.

CAN YOU PICTURE THIS???

Four guys climbing the roof is ONE thing–but lifting their friend on a mat and getting him ON the roof too??

GET verse 4: “Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.”

Now I don’t know about you–but if 4 dudes start digging a HOLE in my roof…I’m going to be ticked.

The verses just before that say everyone was gathered there because they had heard Jesus had come home–so you could gather that this was even Jesus’s home. “A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.” Whether it was Jesus’s home or not–these men took a big risk…not only in dragging their paralytic friend on the roof–but also digging a rather LARGE home in the roof to lower him.

It says when Jesus saw THEIR faith–he forgave the man of his sins AND HEALED HIM.

It wasn’t only the faith of the man–as he obviously had to agree to being lifted on the roof and lowered into the house. He believed IF he agreed to let his friends do this–to join him in believing and approaching Jesus with him–that he would be healed!

And scripture says Jesus saw their faith and healed him.

Why do you think this story makes it in scripture as we know Christ performed MANY miracles that were not included in scripture? But THIS one makes it in. Do you think the Lord wants us to stand by ourselves or others? Do you think He wants us to approach Him together–believing Him together for BIG things? Do you think He received more glory as many come together?

Is there someone you know believing the Lord for something BIG–and they need others to stand and BELIEVE with them?

Is there someone sick or hurting who is struggling with their faith to believe because they are just too tired? Just think what the Lord can do as brothers and sisters in Christ pick them up…carry them to Jesus believing that through THEIR faith–the Lord can heal!

The same Lord that stood in that house that day and healed–is the same Lord that came and died and was risen again. He is the same Lord we celebrate this Lent season. He is the same Lord that can heal the sick and still performs miracles today.

You have to just love DETERMINED friend of faith. Friends that will drag you on the roof top and when you are too weak–lower you to Jesus through their faith and prayers. I have a husband like that too. One who told me at the monastery on Saturday that the Lord would HEAL me in a way we would know it was HIM and no other. Gotta love my man of faith.

I want to thank my sisters and brothers in Christ who love me and our family enough to pray with us for my miracle healing. We are BELIEVING the Lord is already healing me. And I have to tell you–for the last 3 days this mom hasn’t had blurred vision…my fatigue is going away…and I even woke up my family 2 nights ago when I felt my brain fog lifted—I turned on lights and we jumped on the bed! Yes–we are crazy here…but we are EXPECTING a miracle and every bit of miracle we experience we celebrate! I have had a swollen right eye full of redness for MONTHS which has had the specialists at St.Joseph’s scratching their heads as my cornea was being damaged and my eye is even clear and normal this week!!! I LOVE being able to see:). I keep telling Richard when the Lord completely heals this mom the WORLD better watch out…because I’m never going to take my health for granted again!!! If you have been praying with us for a miracle–please continue praying that the Lord would completely remove Lyme from my body and I would be completely healed without modern medicine (which I’m totally willing to do–but we feel like we are supposed to WAIT and spend time trusting in His healing right now instead! YES crazy–but we want to wait on Him and trust Him for the impossible!!!)

Alright–you have to check out this picture me and the babes took this morning. Momma doesn’t have on ANY MAKE-UP…but my eyes are CLEAR, not swollen and I can see…so we were CELEBRATING on my Mac Photobooth!

So…you get to see me without makeup on! BUT I really don’t care any more about much of anything like that cause I’m just excited momma can see clearly!

Y’all have a great day!!! And if you have a prayer request that I too can take before the Lord FOR you–please do tell me. It would be an HONOR to pray for you and believe in FAITH with you!

XOXO

Andrea

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Beth Templeton - February 29, 2012 - 2:35 pm

Andrea, this was so good to read. I can feel the rejoicing through your words and in your photos. And I can feel the faith too. I add my AMEN today to what the Lord has already done, and to what He is going to do. The world better watch out indeed! And, for the record, you look really good without make up girl!

Susan Hillis - February 29, 2012 - 2:41 pm

ANDREA!!!!! YES!!!!! I have been so praying for you for this for several months now!!! I just know your transparency is going to be used to help others believe God for their healing!!! Thank you so much for sharing!

Cristie - February 29, 2012 - 5:30 pm

Hey friend! I am praying for you and believing God for complete healing!! Our family is moving to the middle east this summer, so I’d appreciate your prayers for us…for all the details surrounding it!

Dawn Wright - February 29, 2012 - 6:46 pm

LOVE YOU!!!

AND PRAYING FOR YOU BELIEVING WITH YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I totally love your pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ***ps don’t care about your make up just glad you are feeling better!!!!!

Sarah - February 29, 2012 - 7:14 pm

Andrea,

PRAISE THE LORD for his healig hand and for using your illness to show those just how BIG our FATHER IS!!! You and your sweet family are always on my mind through out the week and I continue to pray that God continues to heal you and restore your health.

I would be forever humbled and thankful if you would please pray for me. I traveled to Ethiopia in January to meet my sweet Isaiah and to go to court. Ever since coming home I have been sick. I have been in the ER three times and to my regular doctor numerous times. All my routine blood work looks fine, but I am just not myself. My stomach constantly hurts, I have horrible fatigue, at times I feel light headed, almost as if I am going to pass out. The last few weeks I have had a hard time catching my breath and I can’t lie I have been really scared. I have been checked for blood clots and praise Jesus I didn’t have any, but I am left not knowing what is wrong with me. I have loaded myself up on vitamins and pro biotics for the last few weeks but still feel bad. My entire body hurts all the time and this morning I couldn’t even get out of bed because my back and legs were hurting so bad. I don’t know if I will ever know what is going on with me, but I do know our God can heal me of whatever is going on with me and I just continue to pray that God heals me and restores my health so I can be 100% when it comes to my boys, not to mention my case got filed with embassy today!!!! So I could be traveling soon to bring my sweet boy home and I don’t have to tell you how important it is for me to be healthy :)I would be so thankful if you would pray for me!! I can’t wait to continue to watch and see how God heals you completely!! Blessings to you!!

Sandi - February 29, 2012 - 7:18 pm

We have found that whenever we “act” on what we feel like we need to do for God the strangest diagnoses seem to crop up. You know what? We read every verse on healing out loud with the sick one & BELIEVE that those words are healing. Surprisingly whoever is sick gets better, even in the scariest situations. I don’t know if attacks on health are God testing & shaping us or the devil trying to distract us with fear. Either way, the power of prayer is absolutely real. It has been documented in medical studies that people who are “prayed for” by others get better faster. This is just the beginning. I know that God is loving the JOY in your house & that you will have even more to celebrate soon! Stay strong!

Beth in Atlanta - February 29, 2012 - 8:17 pm

That is an AWESOME fish face! So glad to hear that your eye is improving.

So, even though you don’t know me, I will take you up on that offer of prayer. I have an interview tomorrow morning for a job that would be wonderful in many ways … for example, it is located one mile from my house. As you know, that is an unbelievable commute in Atlanta – well I guess anywhere. But there are many other things that make this seem like a God-made fit. Please pray for peace and clarity and that God will just provide the job for me that He fits His plans for me – whether it’s this one or one further down the road.

I continue to pray for your healing.

Lauren - February 29, 2012 - 10:34 pm

PRAISE GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is amazing news!!!! And you look absolutely beautiful with no makeup!!!! Plus the boys are just adorable as usual! 😉 I am continuing to pray and believing with you for complete healing!! LOVE YOU!

marci - February 29, 2012 - 11:03 pm

SO ,SO ,SO happy for you ,Andrea ! Praise God….the great healer.

Julie - March 1, 2012 - 9:14 am

Andrea,
Praise the Lord for all the miracles he is bringing into your life! Praise to God our healer!
I am praying and believing for some of the same with some concerning symptoms I have been having. My son is having surgery tomorrow as well which causes the symptoms to increase due to worry. Please pray that God will increase my faith and that I will absolutley trust Himw to care for me and my family.
Prayers for my son Josh would be appreciated as well.
Thanks for sharing your life and your faith!
Many blessings to you and your family,
Julie

Heather R - March 1, 2012 - 11:38 am

I wrote a blog post in response to this post. Will you help us pray our daughter home?
http://projectfindher.org/pfh/?q=node/62

bobi bobbitt - March 1, 2012 - 9:39 pm

Praise God!!! This may sound strange, but every morning while in the shower I have been praying for you and for your healing! What great news to read this!!! And your eye looks great! Not sure if you got my FB message last week, but just wrote to say that you have been on my mind and in my prayers alot lately! So happy for you, friend!!!