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“Pitt Pays Providence Painfully Plus People Praise Providence's
Power!”
Ramesh C. Reddy
Publisher
We will examine the many similarities or differences between 'Pitt
Pays Providence Painfully Plus People Praise Providence's Power'
While the Oakland Zoo watched the
Pittsburgh Panthers pay Providence Friars a painful loss, with an
electrifying buzzer beater, by Ashton Gibbs with only 3.5 seconds
left at the Petersen Events Center, I had watched at least 40
students from different ethnicities praise Providence’s power during
a multi-ethnic fellowship co-sponsored by Asian-American
InterVarsity and Pitt InterVarsity at Posvar Hall.
On a Thursday night of March 04, 2010, between 9:00 p.m. - 10:30
p.m. both groups dealt with Providence as members of the Pitt
basketball team aimed to defeat Providence (Rhode Island’s NCAA
college basketball team) and members of the multi-ethnic fellowship
praised the power of Providence (the wisdom, care, and guidance
believed to be provided by God) Source: Encarta ® World
English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All
rights reserved.
In a way both groups experienced amazement in their own way.
The Providence Friars were only 3.5 seconds away from defeating the
Pitt Panthers when Ashton Gibbs took a desperation shot that went in
as time expired. This brought jubilation to the Pitt players and the
Oakland Zoo that watched the game live.
Left to right: Gary McGhee, Brad Wannamaker, Nasir
Robinson, and Gilbert Brown have a meal at Market Central Dining few
weeks before Providence game!
The approximately 40 students experienced
the power of Providence when they read about what Jesus did for a
paralytic man.
Students from Asian InterVarsity
and Pitt InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
Let us travel back in time to a place as
crowded as the Petersen Event Center but proportionately to the size
of their own building. It was a house made of probably mud instead
of bricks. To this house come four friends carrying their paralytic
friend but it is so crowded that they cannot go in so probably
within 3.5 seconds they devised a plan in the hopes of bringing
their friend healing.
In the present, Ashton Gibbs put the basketball in the net through
the hole with 3.5 seconds left to bring victory to the Pitt Panthers
and bring amazement to the crowd there.
In the past, the four friends made a hole in the roof and put the
paralyzed man through the hole so that the man could reach Jesus and
get victory from Jesus. The man eventually did get a victory from
Jesus as he was completely forgiven and healed. This amazed the
crowds there and it also amazed the 40+ students who were exposed to
the story at Posvar Hall. I know it amazed me!
Both stories involved a community setting for victory. Pitt played
as a community to win getting support from their players, coaches,
Oakland Zoo, etc. The friends took part in community when all 4 of
them showed up in front of Jesus expecting a miracle for their
friend. The 40+ students experienced community as a group of
brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Both situations ended with people leaving with amazement.
While Jamie Dixon, the coach of Pitt’s basketball team oversaw the
Pitt Panthers as they paid the Providence Friars painfully, Dabney
Robinson, the staff worker of Pitt’s InterVarsity Christian
Fellowship chapter oversaw the 40+ students engaged in praising
Providence and discussing the amazing story of Jesus’ spiritual and
physical healing of the paralytic! The students got involved
in doing a manuscript Bible study focusing on observations,
interpretations, and applications.
As the study concluded, Robinson wanted the students to reflect on
where they needed restoration and healing from Jesus in their own
lives so she read the passage again and prayed for the students.
The passage states, “One day as he was
teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every
village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there.
And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. Some
men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into
the house to lay him before Jesus. When 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. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend,
your sins are forgiven." The 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?" Jesus knew what they
were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your
hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to
say, 'Get up and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man
has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralyzed
man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." Immediately he
stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went
home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They
were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things
today." (Luke 5:17-26, NIV)
Robinson and the student led worship team gave opportunity for the
students to silently pray and make a response as part of the
application.
As I reflected upon the passage myself, I was overwhelmed with the
love of the Lord and His restorative healing power not only to heal
a person physically but spiritually.
It was interesting to me that Jesus’ first word to the paralytic was
‘FRIEND’. Jesus
was letting the paralytic know that He considers him a friend no
matter what dire situation the paralytic was in. But, Jesus does not
stop there but goes a step further and says,
‘YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN’.
The friends brought the paralytic to be healed
physically but Jesus is healing the person spiritually first.
As a former campus minister and staff worker with InterVarsity
Christian Fellowship, I had a psychology degree and criminal justice
degree with a major in legal studies when I was doing student
ministry. So, a lot of times I do funnel my thinking from a
psychological view point, criminal justice viewpoint, and a legal
viewpoint incorporating Scripture into that thinking. I decided to
do that this time making a speculation.
I wondered why Jesus may have wanted to heal him spiritually first
before addressing his physical ailment and my mind wandered back to
the present and what came to my mind were drunk driving accidents
where some people get seriously injured and even become a paralyzed.
The paralysis would have been a direct result of the accident caused
by their drunk driving accident. But more than that, it could have
also resulted in other people’s serious injuries or death. The
person would have blamed themselves for their own paralysis and for
causing the death of others. Their guilt could be eating them alive
on the inside because of the consequences. They may not even care
for their own life anymore and could possibly have shattered faith.
Now what if the man’s paralysis was
caused by a sin that he committed that he blames himself for to the
point that he does not want to be healed and has shattered faith?
His friends see his predicament and the shape he is in. He is not
getting any better and they hear about Jesus so they carry the
paralytic to where Jesus is. Their friend could have been in such
bad shape spiritually and physically that the friends did not mind
putting a hole in someone’s house to just lower this man down to get
healing for him.
With a high probability, we can assume that this man had no faith
when he was lowered down because Jesus’ words to the paralytic are a
response to 4 of his friend’s faith:
“When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are
forgiven."
Jesus knew what predicament the paralytic was in! What he needed
first and foremost was not his physical healing because his physical
healing would not have addressed the heart issue and the root issue
that the paralytic was facing. I believe that issue was a spiritual
issue regarding sin so Jesus addressed that first.
It is highly possible that his paralysis was a result of a sin that
caused him to be catatonic, etc where he could not move. Now once
that trauma was addressed, things would change. There is evidence in
Scripture that a physical ailment could be a result of sin but Jesus
can restore there too. (John 5 addresses a paralytic's healing in
the pool of Siloam)
The situation
changed for the paralytic at Jesus’ words of
‘Friend, your sins are forgiven’
because now the man did not see himself as a shameful being filled
with guilt but as someone being befriended by Jesus who also forgave
his sins. At that moment, his first restoration and the most
important restoration began. The physical healing was a byproduct of
the spiritual healing. Jesus’ spiritual healing of the man carried
over to the physical.
Jesus said, "But that you may know that
the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said
to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go
home." Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had
been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and
gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have
seen remarkable things today."
As I reflected on this passage last night, I was reminded of how
much the Lord Jesus has restored me in different ways.
Years ago and a year ago, I was in a
broken-hearted place because of my sins that made my guilt turn into
shame and even a shattered faith that had to be put back together. I
became a paralytic spiritually feeling no hope in my situation but a
small light still flickering in my heart.
I could not believe what had happened but knew whatever happened, it
was because of my own sin. After that, I never wanted to do ministry
again or be part of any church but God’s grace carried me through.
It did not come the way I hoped it would come but in His own way, He
restored me and my faith to keep moving on. Wherever my passion is,
He has not forgotten and I know He will give me opportunities to go
that path again one day in His timing if that be His will.
But first Jesus had to deal with my pain and shame of things that
happened. In different ways, Jesus has done that for me to bring
restoration into my life which has involved inner healing and a
change of attitude even if circumstances have not changed
necessarily to my liking but His ways and thoughts are higher than
my own.
More than anyone, Jesus has used 4 people
to help with the restoration process in my own life: My mommy,
Pastor Hugo Cheng of Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland, and Edwin &
Marie Chan of Oakland International Fellowship. I believe the Lord
strategically used Pastor Hugo to help me finally commit to being a
member of a church which happened to be Pittsburgh Chinese Church
Oakland-Oakland International Fellowship for me.
I would not be where I am now if it were not for the Lord Jesus
using these 4 people in my life. They shower upon me enormous
compassion and kindness making me realize that our Lord is Mighty to
save no matter how far we have gone.
I am reminded of one my favorite songs
called 'Mighty to Save' which starts out with 'Everyone needs
compassion.... everyone needs the kindness of a Savior'.
I was so excited when I saw the worship
team, leading the 40 students to sing this song and a song in
another language. I was however not one bit surprised because
that's what I was used to as an IVCF alum and former staff worker
with InterVarsity: Emphasizing a multi-ethnic worship among other
things.
Click picture for the song
Click picture for the song
I shared with you how I was figuratively a paralytic in my own
way to let you know Jesus’ loving grace has freed me and
continues to sanctify me taking me to the place He eventually wants
me to reach.
"Being confident of this that He who began
a good work in you will finish it to completion!" (Philippians 1:6)
He can do that for you too. Your situation may not resemble what I
went through at all or even a physical paralysis as the paralytic
went through but there may be areas in your life where you are
dealing with so much guilt, shame, and paralysis of the soul, for we
all have a spiritual condition that only Christ can address.
Nothing you or I do apart from Christ can handle the crisis of the
soul. Only His love shown through a community of people, His Word,
and His Spirit begins the transformation. It happened to me in the
most painful times and it can happen for you too. I know it can!
No matter where you have been or what you have done, I want you to
know that just as I have never been out of His love and never out of
His reach, you too will never be out of His love and never out of
His reach. Come as you are and find your restoration in Jesus Christ
and allow Him to work in your life knowing He will never abandon you
or leave you! Thank you Jesus!
If there was one message I took away from Robinson’s facilitation of
the group discussion, it was that Jesus is the God of complete
wholeness, healing and restoration. When Jesus heals, He heals the
whole person and all facets of life. The same Jesus who healed the
paralytic is the same Jesus who wants to bring healing and
restoration into our own lives. We need to turn to the One who alone
can do that.
As the manuscript study concluded, everyone
spent time in prayer allowing God's Word speak to them!
Click on the picture for a closing song and prayer!
Maybe you are one who was in the condition of the paralytic but you
have now experienced the healing restorative power of the Savior
which is so awesome! Praise the Lord! Now, you can be the one
to bring others you know who are dealing in spiritual paralysis of
guilt, shame, etc before the Lord as the four friends brought the
paralytic to Jesus for healing. Those that are brought to Jesus will
be transformed by His power for He is the God of love who wants to
be our loving Lord and Savior. In a hard time in my life, it
happened to be 4 people that helped me too: my mommy, Pastor Hugo,
Edwin, and Marie. It does not necessarily have to be four but it can
be that one person who could impact you. Wait on the Lord!
Basketball games can be won or lost and when the season is over, it
is over but not when it comes to Jesus Christ for the season will
never be over for He is the reason for every season.
Having read the passage from Luke 5:17-26, it reminded me of this
story from Mark 2 and how much the Lord used what I learned there to
impact not only my life but how he used what I shared at
http://www.pittsburghstandard.com
in other people’s lives. I was excited to learn a
student became a Christian after reading the devotionals posted. I
don’t remember specifically which ones she read whether from Mark or
Philippians but am going to post the links to the Mark 2 devotionals
related to Luke 5:17-26. I hope as time permits you are blessed by
what I have shared from the Gospel of Mark 2:1-12!
Mark 2:1-2:
"What do you do with your P.O.P.U.L.A.R.I.T.Y
in life?"
(Sept 22, 08, 9:37 a.m.)
Mark 2:3-5:
"What kind of F.R.I.E.N.D.S do you have in
life?"
(Sept 23, 08, 9:50 a.m.)
Mark 2:5-12:
"Who do you I.N.T.E.R.C.E.D.E for in life?"
(Sept 24, 08, 9:48 a.m.)
Mark 2:5-12:
"Where does P.A.R.A.L.Y.S.I.S. take hold of
you in life?"
(Sept 25, 08, 10:16 a.m.)
Mark 2:5-12:
"What are you thinking in your M.I.N.D daily?"
(Sept 26, 08, 10:12 a.m.)
19. Mark 2:5-12:
"What do you represent by your A.C.T.I.O.N.S
in life?"
(Sept 27, 08, 10:35 a.m.)
May you come to experience the restorative
power of the One who loves you so much that He went to the cross of
Calvary to pay the debt for you, so you can be redeemed from your
sins and experience His forgiveness being covered in His precious
cleansing blood! Amen!
May you experience the POWER OF
CHRIST'S RESURRECTION this day, and give Him the LOCKED areas of your
life too so you can experience His PEACE as you become an ACTOR in the
film called LIFE being directed by your DIRECTOR, JESUS CHRIST who comes
to give JOY and PEACE.
You
don't have to be locked away anymore for Christ is here to free you and
give you peace to LIVE out your actions.
How do you look at GODISNOWHERE?
One of my pastors, Pastor Hugo SHARED this
example one Sunday at the
RESURRECTION DAY SERVICE in the combined worship service of Pittsburgh
Chinese Church-Oakland & Oakland International Fellowship:
If
you look at it as GOD IS NO WHERE, you will still be lost in your sin
and be in bondage locked away in your sins and problems finding no
peace.
But
as my pastor spoke to the congregation and spoke to me, I am here to
tell you that GOD IS NOW HERE.
Yes,
friend God is aLIVE and wants to bring a transformation in your life
through the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ for He paid the penalty on
the cross to rescue you and me and came back to life to save us and LIVE
with us.
Yes,
friend that is exciting to know that we can experience HIS SAVING GRACE
& LIVING GRACE.
When
we mess up, we can go to Jesus with our shortcomings and He will forgive
us and RESTORE us to Him and we will find peace in Him.
"For the wages
of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV)
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his
Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive
ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9, NIV)
Friend, we need Jesus because we have been separated from God due to our
sin. Because of our sin, Jesus had to pay the price to become our bridge
so we can reach God now not of our own good works but because of the
finished work of Christ, the Lord on the cross.
"For it is by GRACE you have been saved,
through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not
by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)
Come to Jesus as you are and pray this prayer to accept Jesus as your
Lord and Personal Savior. He will transform your life around! Praise the
Lord! You don't have to have all the answers! You can come as you are!
May the Lord Jesus guide you in
His love leading you! Amen!
If you are reading this and do not
know Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior and would like to invite Jesus
Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your life, you
can this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim God's
promises for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your
eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special
time to come to the Lord. You can come right now as you pray this
prayer, meaning it in your heart. You can invite the GREAT
PHYSICIAN right now as you make this your prayer.
Dear Jesus, I want
to be free. I don’t know everything about you. I still have a lot of
questions. What I do know is that you died on the cross for my sins.
When it comes to sin, I am a paralytic Oh Lord. I am infected with
this deadly disease known as sin. I am not perfect but a sinner who
needs your cleansing blood to clean me of my sin. I confess to you
my sin and repent of my sin. I know you have forgiven me when you
died on the cross and shed your blood. I want to accept that
forgiveness. Thank you for shedding your cleansing precious blood
for me. You were nailed to the cross because of me. It is like I
actually held the hammer and pounded the nails. Thank you for
willingly dying for me Jesus. Thank you for taking the shame and
pain for me. Thank you for doing that to set me free. I come to the
cross and ask you for your healing in my life. Thank you for the
power of your love using your Blood to redeem all humanity that
comes to you. Thank you for coming back to life to save us and give
us Eternal Life as we yield to you. Your blood can heal us where we
are. I love you Jesus. I want you Jesus. Even with my questions, I
come to you now and accept you into my heart. Please Jesus come into
my heart and make my heart your home. Give me a transfusion of
change. Live in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve you the
rest of the days of my life. I thank you Jesus for coming into my
heart and making my heart your home. Thank you for living in me
Jesus. I acknowledge you now as my Lord and Personal Savior. Please
be the Lord and Savior of my life. Thank you for being my Lord and
Personal Savior Jesus and because of what you have done for me when
God looks at me, He now sees me covered in Your blood and His
judgment passes over me. Thank you that you have heard my prayer and
answered me. Thank you for being with me Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you for saving
me. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit. Thank you Jesus I now
belong to you and never need to be alone! You will always be with me
and have given me Salvation. Thank you that you have heard my
prayer and answered me! Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
May my spoken words
and unspoken thoughts be pleasing even to you, O Lord my Rock and my
Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)
No matter what you feel in your heart,
know that Jesus has come in and resides with you! You are not alone! To
make your walk strong with the Lord, spend time in prayer talking to Him
as you would to a friend. You don’t need special words to talk to the
Lord. Spend time in His Word reading Psalms and turning them into
prayer. Next allow God to heal you and speak to you through the Gospel
of John or Gospel of
Mark before moving on to other Books of the Bible! Slowly, let the Lord
show you to which Scriptures He wants you to go to next. It is also important to be part of a body of believers to
help you grow in the faith. Find a Bible believing church that preaches
the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation proclaiming Jesus Christ our
crucified and risen Lord who brings us hope, healing, and help! But
beware of churches who do believe in the Word of God completely but
there is no freedom in Christ but legalism involved.
As a professional, it is not too late to join a
church! As a student, it is not too late to join a fellowship on campus this new year of 2010! May the Lord's presence and peace fill you with His
love now and forever! Amen!
Friend, if you have prayed this
prayer and meant it in your heart, you are a new creation in Christ and
all old things are passed away and everything has become new! You may
feel something or may not but don’t base it on feelings but base your
new life in Christ on the promises of our Savior who will never leave
you nor forsake you! Amen!
Spend time in His word and let the Lord
speak to you! Start out in the Gospel of John! You can also check out
the Gospel of Mark which are the devotionals I have been going through.
Learn from Jesus through study and prayer. Also find yourself a church
fellowship and a college fellowship you can be part of where you can be
part of a community of believers to supplement your own walk with the
Lord. Let it be a Bible-believing and Bible-breathing church! Believe in
Bible LIVE Eternally!
Feel free to email me at
reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com
if you want to meet to study the Bible,
pray with, talk about Spiritual issues or whatever is on your mind! My
number is 412-641-9426
"This is my
work and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work
within me." (Colossians 1:29, TLB)
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