Tuesday, July 12, 2011 - Daily Encouragement

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July 12, 2011 Laying Me Down to Sleep Rachel Olsen

"God called the light 'day,' and the darkness he called 'night.' And there was evening, and there was morning— the first day." Genesis 1:5 (NIV)
What time did your day begin today?
Did it begin as the sun poked through the widow urging you to wake? Or, did the alarm buzz at 5:30 AM? Or maybe at 6:45? Perhaps you slept until 8:00?
What if I told you your day began last night as the sun set — would you disagree?
In the modern, westernized world we think of our days as sun rise to sun rise. In other words, we rise, we work, and then we end the day in rest. We rest to recover from our work ... with whatever time is left over after the work is done.
However, in the ancient Jewish tradition the day runs from sundown to sundown. That's quite a different concept. In other words, we rest, then we rise and do our work. Rest becomes the source and fuel for the work rather than merely recovery from it.
Where did the Hebrews get this seemingly backwards notion of the day beginning in the evening? From the God who never sleeps, in the Bible. Notice in today's key verse — in fact, in multiple verses throughout the Genesis creation account — there was evening, and then morning and that was counted as a day.
A secular rhythm of life makes work primary. We work first, then go from work to vacation. In contrast, a sacred rhythm makes rest primary, moving us from God-ordained rest into our vocation. The sacred rhythm is rest, rise, work rather than rise, work, rest. Let that difference sink in and sway the seat of your soul.
Internalizing this difference is the basis for connecting with God through rest. Pastor and author Eugene Peterson describes this ancient rest-first rhythm:

"This Hebrew evening/morning sequence conditions us to the rhythms of grace. We go to sleep, and God begins his work. As we sleep he develops his covenant. We wake and are called to participate in God's creative action. We respond in faith, in work. But always grace is previous. Grace is primary. We wake into a world we didn't make, into a salvation we didn't earn.

Evening: God begins, without our help, his creative day. Morning: God calls us to enjoy and share and develop the work he initiated. Creation and covenant are sheer grace and there to greet us every morning."

I don't know why God's Word marks out time in this way in Genesis, but I am discovering I think and live differently when I adopt this view of my days. I see each night's rest as something important, something to prepare for — and something important that prepares me. I've long known that rest prepares me physically to rise and work again, and now I'm finding it prepares me spiritually to rise walk in grace and faith.
As I lie down, close my eyes, pray, and slip from consciousness, I do so with the understanding that it is God who holds everything together during my temporary absence from the world. And it's Him who will continue to hold everything together when I rise and work in the coming daylight. At no point — day or night — am I independent of Him. He even has the power to direct my dreams should He desire.
So I've developed a theology of sleep that punctuates my days. It helps me see my nights and my rest as set apart and holy. It helps me to see God as I lay myself down to sleep. In fact, it helps me see that it is He who lays me down for the gracious gift of rest.
What about you? How do you think about rest? How do you treat it? How might God be calling you to look at it differently?
Dear Lord, thank You for rest. Thank You that I can rest while You continue to hold everything together. Help me rest well and worship You through rest. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
If today's topic struck a chord, you'll want to read the chapter "Turn the Beat Around" in Rachel's new book It's No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know.
Visit Rachel's blog for six tips on resting well.
Jesus says, "Come to Me, and I will give you rest." Do you know Him?

When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you!

Application Steps:
Make intentional plans for how you will end this day in a way that is peaceful, restful and connects your heart with God. Head over to Rachel's blog for some ideas on this.
Reflections:
Do I make time for rest, or treat it as an afterthought?
Can I worship God through rest?
Power Verses:
Genesis 1:7-8, "So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. God called the expanse 'sky.' And there was evening, and there was morning — the second day." (NIV)
Psalm 3:5, "I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me." (NIV)
Colossians 1:17, "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (NIV)

Monday, July 11, 2011 - Daily Encouragement

July 11, 2011
More for My Girl
Lynn Cowell
"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe..." Ephesians 1:18-19a (NIV)
More. More than the empty promises from boys. More than the masked protection of makeup. More than the false assurance of outfits.
More. It's what she wants for her daughter. She wants her girl to grow up with courageous confidence and without raw regret.
Even though my friend practically grew up under a steeple, during her teen years the truth that Jesus was crazy about her slipped through the cracks of her low self-worth. She turned to easy choices laid out by friends and gave away so much of herself in hopes of finding love.
But the more my friend gave, the emptier she felt. Eventually she lost hope and wondered, "Is there such a thing as lasting love?"
This is the opposite of what she wants for her own daughter. Yet, she sees things in her girl's life similar to her own teen years. Chasing after attention. Wearing layers of makeup. Flirtatious outfits that draw others' eyes. Her daughter is turning to everything and everyone to fill the hole that only God's love can.
I want God's best for my girl, too. And if you have a daughter, I bet you do as well.
The question is: how do we give our girl the assurance she needs? How can we help her find the confidence to make wise choices that lead to God's best for her?
I've found that it's important to start by praying verses like today's key verse, asking God to enlighten the eyes of our hearts. Then we will see the hope Jesus calls us to and we can share it with our daughter.
You see, as we possess the confidence that comes from knowing we are loved and accepted by the Lord, our daughter will take notice. When she sees her mom live out of the hope and love of Jesus, our girl will discover that she too can make choices based on His love for her and seek the hope only He can give.
When we need to make hard decisions, we can turn to Jesus for understanding and courage, modeling an example of confidence for our daughters. As moms, we can take them further on this journey of growth by asking them to pray with us, read His Word with us and speak hope to others with us. They will see how to transition from simply reading the Word of God to applying it and living out its truths. They'll witness firsthand what it means to view this world, themselves and others from His perspective.
When our girl sees His incomparably great power working in us, filling our hearts, it makes God's promises believable. As we find our fulfillment in God's love for us, instead of looking to someone or something else to fill us, our daughter will see a life that blossoms with purpose.
It may not be immediate. In fact, it could possibly take years for her to want what we have. But we can trust in the goodness of our God. He wants more for our girl, too!
Dear Jesus, I am desperate to see my girl walk in the freedom that comes when her heart is filled by You. Fill my heart, Lord, so I can model this fulfillment. Help me turn to You. May my daughter see me run to You first and may she run to You too! In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Friday, July 8, 2011 - My thoughts are not God's thoughts nor my ways..

10:30 a.m. Prayer/Devotion
Exercise - REST

July 8, 2011 It's Not What You Think Micca Monda Campbell

"'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD.'" Isaiah 55:8 (NIV)
When the phone rang in the middle of the night, I couldn't help but wonder if one of my greatest fears had become a reality. It was the police. They were calling to tell us my 21-year-old son had fallen asleep at the wheel while driving home from a friend's house.
Mitch was only four months old when his biological father died. Since then, I've have had two fears; that my son's life would be greatly affected by the loss of his father and that he would die young, too.
When Mitch was four, one of those fears was relieved. God brought Pat into our lives, filling the role of both father and husband.
Like any good father, Pat is a wonderful man who supports his family in the good times and bad. This night things were bad. When Pat arrived at the scene, he found our son's demolished car hugging the mangled 50 foot guardrail that had kept him from crossing the highway into oncoming traffic.
Mitch, however, didn't suffer a single scratch, bruise, or broken bone — not one. His dad was stunned, but the police officer was astonished even more. In fact, the officer had this to say to our son.
"If I were you, I wouldn't go home and go to bed. I'd go to the nearest church and thank God for saving your life because He obviously has a purpose for it." It was as if God was speaking directly through the officer. Pat drove Mitch home in silence. The police officer had said it all. What more could he add?
Sunday afternoon, we drove to the junkyard to retrieve Mitch's personal belongings from the car. The first thing I noticed about the damaged vehicle was the date, 9-9, painted in large orange numbers across the windshield of the mangled car.
That's when it hit me. Mitch's accident occurred on the anniversary of his biological father's death. Stranger still, they were exactly the same age. As my eyes fixed on the date, I realized it was a message from God — an undeniable clear sign from above. Mitch was in the hands of God.
That truth pierced my mind and Satan's lie was broken. I was no longer afraid of losing my son to death.
God has a different plan for Mitch than he had for his dad. I always knew that truth intellectually but, that day in the junkyard, it became a reality. How could I doubt God anymore when my son walked away from a near death experience on the anniversary of his father's death? I couldn't.
Regardless of my doubts and fears, God has a plan. Usually it doesn't look like mine. This experience reminded me that my thoughts are not the same as God's thoughts. He sees the bigger picture. He knows His plans. It also taught me to fall on my knees and relinquish all my fears to God while trusting in His good and perfect will for my children.
You see, the only power and control you and I have over any fearful thought is to place it in the hands of God. Doing so keeps us from being taunted day and night by "what if?" Instead, we can rest in the assurance that God's thoughts, ways and plans are more marvelous than anything we can imagine ourselves.
Dear Lord, help me to see my circumstances through your eyes and not mine. Teach me that your ways are good and marvelous and they can be trusted. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
An Untroubled Heart: Finding Faith that is Stronger than All Your Fears by Micca Campbell
Visit Micca's blog for more encouragement
Cultivating a Heart of Contentment (CD) by Micca Campbell
Do You Know Him?

When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you!

Application Steps:
Trade your thoughts for God's thoughts. Say something like, "God, here is what I think will happen. Yet, I know Your ways and Your thoughts are bigger because You see the bigger picture. So I chose to trade my understanding for Yours."
Reflections:
Do I anxiously worry about something out of my control?
Do I find myself taunted by "what ifs?"
God's thoughts and plans toward me are good. How does this calm my fear and increase my faith?
Power Verses:
Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding..." (NIV)
Proverbs 3:6, "...in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (NIV)

Thursday, July 7, 2011 - Self Control

8:00 a.m. - Devotion / Prayer

9:20 a.m. - Jesus Loves ME

July 7, 2011

Self-Control

Lysa TerKeurst

"Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control." Proverbs 25:28 (NIV)
Have you ever been in a discussion with a loved one and suddenly your blood pressure skyrockets, your nerves fray, and the worst version of you begs to come out?


Not that this ehhhhhver happens to me of course.
Ahem.

Of course it happens to me. I live with other humans. But what I'm trying to better understand is this whole concept of self-control. So many times in the Bible we are told to display self-control: Proverbs 25:28, Galatians 5:23, 1 Peter 4:7, and many others.

But it's hard to display self-control when it feels like someone else does things out of our control and yanks our emotions into a bad place. So, here's one little tidbit I'm learning. When someone else's actions or statements threaten to pull me into a bad place, I have a choice. I do. It may feel like I don't have a choice. It may feel like I have to react according to my feelings, but I don't. I have a choice.

My choice is whether or not to give them the power to control my emotions.

When I react by yelling or flying off the handle or making a snappy comment back, I basically transfer my power to that other person. When I'm void of power, I'm void of self-control. So, it seems to me if I'm going to remain self-controlled, I have to keep my power.

Now, when I say "my power," I don't mean something I conjure up myself. I am referring to God's power working in me. When I react according to God's Word, I feel that power. When I react contrary to God's Word, I feel powerless.

Isaiah 55:10-11 is such a good reminder of how we can tap into God's power no matter what situation we are facing:

As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (emphasis mine)
Did you catch that? The answer to keeping God's power with me and working in me to produce self-control is letting His Word get inside me. His Word seeping into my mind and my heart will accomplish things - good things - powerful things - things that help me display self-control.

So, here's my new tactic. When I'm facing a situation where someone is getting on the last good nerve I have, I'm going to start quoting God's Word in the present tense. Take 1 Peter 5:6-8 for example. Here's how I plan to use these verses if one of my sweet children starts acting NOT SO SWEET:

In this moment I'm choosing to be self-controlled and alert. Your actions are begging me to yell and lose control. But, I realize I have an enemy and that enemy is not you. The devil is prowling and roaring and looking to devour me through my own lack of control right now. But, I am God's girl. That's right. I am. So, I am going to humbly and quietly let God have His way in me right now. And when I do this, God will lift me and my frayed nerves up from this situation and fill me with a much better reaction than what I can give you right now. So, give me just a few minutes and then we'll calmly talk about this.
Girl, that's some power right there.

And that will make you shine with so much self-control your kids, friends, spouse and co-workers won't know what to do with you.

That statement was just taken from one little set of verses found in 1 Peter. Can you imagine what might happen if we wrote out powerful responses using God's Word on 3x5 cards and pulled them out every time we found ourselves in a situation?
I love being God's girl. Don't you?

Dear Lord, I am reminded after reading this devotion that I am Your child. You made me. You know me. And therefore, You designed my heart, mind and soul to receive and respond to the power in your Word. When I lack my own power to be self-controlled help me to turn to Your truth for good, calm responses. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

If you struggle with anger, click here to learn how to be a RESPONDER rather than a REACTOR.

Lysa will be speaking in more than 40 cities this year. Click here to see her schedule. She would be honored to meet you.

If you struggle with having self-control with your food choices, don't miss Lysa's new book: Made to Crave.

Also, you'll want to consider doing the 6 week Bible study using this DVD set: Made to Crave DVD by Lysa TerKeurst.

When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you!

Application Steps:

When you're facing a situation where someone is getting on the last good nerve you have, start quoting God's Word in the present tense. Write out powerful responses using verses on 3x5 cards and keep them with you so you can refer to them as needed.

Reflections:

The answer to keeping God's power with me and working in me to produce self-control is letting His Word get inside me.
Power Verses:

1 Peter 4:7, "The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray." (NIV)

1 Thessalonians 5:8, "But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet." (NIV)

Wednesday, July 6, 2011 - The Trenches

9:30 a.m. Prayer, Devotion
10:15 a.m. Stretch, Lower Body/ BBall

Wednesday, July 06, 2011	Send to a Friend     More Free Newsletters

 

July 6, 2011 Trenches Lisa Whittle

"Share each other's burdens..." Galatians 6:2a (NLT)
There are times all of us find ourselves in the trenches in life — those deep places we can't seem to climb our way out of.
Sometimes those places involve decisions of our own, where we made a conscious choice to do something that wound up hurting us. Other times, someone made a decision for us that put us there, without our permission.
Either way, there is a great need — a need for someone to understand, someone to listen, someone to be available for us, to grieve with us and cry with us — no matter how dark it may get.
I've been in the trenches at different times in my own life. I found myself there when I was in college and my pastor-father was facing potential prison. I wound up there, again, when I partied hard to numb the pain, causing even more for myself. Years later, I found myself in a trench when my husband lost his job and was out of work for an extended period of time.
It was in those moments that I longed for someone to say to me, "I'm here with you. I won't leave you. You will get through this, and I will love you no matter what." Because at the end of the day, all of us want to know that there is someone who won't walk away from us, even when they see how ugly things can get in our biggest moments of struggle.
It is the mark of a true friend. It is a rare find.
I once heard a speaker say how in her community, it was not unusual for people to sit with one another for up to seven days during times of loss and grief. As I listened to her speak, I thought about how amazing and important that aspect of community could be to us in our greatest moments of pain — those moments we find ourselves in a deep trench from which we won't easily emerge.
Our key verse refers to this beautiful aspect of friendship when it says, simply, "Share each other's burdens..." For the believer, this is not a suggestion. It is something Jesus expects us to do as we represent Him.
One of the best ways we spread the love of Christ is through our selfless acts of love and serving another. It's not easy to share in someone's burden, especially when that burden is great. But it is right. It is good. It is what Jesus does for us.
Many of us have been in the trenches, so we understand this hard position. It is where some of us are even now. Some of the greatest ministry Jesus will ever do in our lives is when we find ourselves in a place we can't maneuver, claw, or dig our way out of. It is the place He meets us because our desperation finally drives us to Him — a place we most need to be.
Friends, let's keep our eyes and ears open for the opportunity to get in the trenches and share in the burdens of another. Let's be willing to be there with our friends who find themselves in a position they don't want to handle alone. Let's remember the One who is always present in the trenches with us.
And let's thank Him for His care, presence and faithfulness in the midst of our needs...the trench moments of our life.
Dear Lord, we are grateful that there is no trench too deep, no place too dark that you can't reach us. It is because of You we are never alone. Thank You for Your care and faithful love. Help us to share in the burdens of another, and seek You in our greatest moments of need. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?
Share your thoughts and stories with Lisa on her website.
Will you join Proverbs 31 Ministries in the trenches of women's lives? To find out how you can be part of bringing the hope of Christ and the life-giving power of God's word to women around the world, click here.
The 7 Hardest Things God Asks a Woman to Do by Kathie Reimer and Lisa Whittle
Behind Those Eyes: What's Really Going on Inside the Souls of Women by Lisa Whittle

When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you!

Application Steps:
Understand the importance of community by reading the characteristics of the first church in Acts 2:43-47.
Ask Jesus to give you His eyes to see others' needs, and His heart to help people in trenches by making yourself available to them.
Remember times when you needed someone to be in the trenches with you. Think about how Jesus has met that need in your own life and thank Him today.
Join Proverbs 31 Ministries in the trenches of women's lives. Find out how you can be part of bringing the life-giving power of God's Word to women around the world by clicking here.
Reflections:
Have I recognized the ways Jesus has gotten in the trenches with me?
Am I willing to get in the trenches with someone in need?
Power Verses:
Psalm 55:22a, "Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you." (NLT)
John 13:35, "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (NLT)

Tuesday, July 5, 2011 - Daily Encouragement - Bad Boats

 

July 5, 2011 Bad Boats Lisa Wingate, She Reads Featured Author

"Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. 'You of little faith,' he said, 'why did you doubt?'" Matthew 14:31 (NIV)
If you could step away from one thing that is dragging you under, what would you leave behind?
Years ago, we moved into someone else's dream house. We purchased it from the bank after it had languished empty — built with great hope but then sadly abandoned. Soon, we began hearing stories about the place. There were whispers of substance abuse, violent fights, young children in foster care, a father in jail.
While I repaired damaged walls, my boys explored their new territory. One evening, they brought in a treasure they'd found outside. Holding the weathered Ziploc baggie, I studied the contents — two small clay pipes and seeds of a sort that undoubtedly shouldn't go to show-and-tell when the drug dog sweeps the school.
There are those moments when the world as it is collides with the world as you wish it were. It's hard to explain to little boys that their treasure must be disposed of in the nearest dumpster before someone gets arrested.
The lost treasure was still on their minds at bedtime.
"That's too bad about those people," my older son observed. "I'll never touch drugs. Drugs are stupid."
"It is sad," I agreed.
His brows wrinkled. "Why didn't they just quit before somebody took their house?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "Sometimes, things that aren't good for us feel good in the moment. Sometimes people don't see the damage they're doing."
My younger son turned our way. "It's like they're on a boat."
His brother responded with an eye roll. "We're talking about drugs, not fishing. Hello."
"Uh-huh," the little brother remained uncharacteristically serious. "It's a really bad boat, and it's sinking, and they won't get off — like in my Bible story, where the man was too scared of the water to walk to Jesus. It's like that, huh Mama?"
A lump rose in my throat. "You're right," I whispered, thinking about the bad boats in life — destructive habits, painful relationships, defeating self-talk, debt, lust, jealousy, a reliance on food, drink, or shopping. There are so many.
My new novel, Dandelion Summer is a story about bad boats — the sort that trap women into unhealthy choices to gain approval from men, and the sort that can pull the elderly into grief, isolation, and anger toward God. It's so easy for my characters, Norman and Epie, to see each other's bad boats, but they're blind to their own.
I see myself in both of them. So often, I find myself riding out the storm, clinging to the boat, when the truth is that Jesus is just an arm's length away. He's unperturbed by the waves, unshaken by the currents, waiting to help me conquer the storm, if only I'll focus my eyes on Him instead of the ocean.
Are you in a boat that is sinking? A relationship that is unhealthy? A habit that is destructive? Ask Jesus to help you get out of that boat and walk to Him.
Dear Lord, help me recognize the bad boats in my life, whatever they are. Help me to stop looking at the water, feeling trapped, and saying "I can't." Help me to gather the courage to reach for Your hand — to know that no matter where I am, no matter what the storm, my security isn't in the boat, but in You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011 - Daily Devotion

9 a.m. Prayer


Song - "Hallelujah " Key "E"

10-11:30 a.m. Bible Class HomeWork

12:30 p.m. Stretch / Strenght Core OR Run 3 miles

June 21^st Bible Study

Look up key words from John 5:
Impotent
Withered
Halt
Blind
Question:  Considering these words, can you apply besides the physical state

Impotent - a : not potent : lacking in power, strength, or vigor : helpless b : unable to engage in sexual intercourse because of inability to have and maintain an erection; broadly : sterile 2.  obsolete : incapable of self-restraint : ungovernable

Withered - : to become dry and sapless; especially : to shrivel from or as if from loss of bodily moisture 2.  : to lose vitality, force, or freshness withering>

Halt - to display weakness or imperfection   2.  lame

Blind -   a (1) : sightless (2) : having less than ¹⁄₁₀ of normal vision in the more efficient eye when refractive defects are fully corrected by lenses b : of or relating to sightless persons

Spiritual state – the lack of power or incapable of having self restraint when it comes to things that God hate.  Gossiping, Unforgiveness, Sexual immorality, a Proud look

JUNE 28, 2011 HOMEWORK – WORD STUDY

INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY : JOHN 5..LOOK UP REFERENCE SCRIPTURES

John 5

 ¹After  ^(a) this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

1.  Lev. 23:2; - ²Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.

Deut. 16:1 -  ¹Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.

John 2:13 - ¹³And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

²Now there is at Jerusalem ^(a) by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

1. Neh. 3:1 - ¹Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel.

Neh. 12:39 - ³⁹And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the prison gate.

8 ⁸Jesus saith unto him, ^(a) Rise, take up thy bed, and walk

a.        Matt. 9:6 - ⁶But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

Mark 2:11 -  ¹¹I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.

Luke 5:24 -  ²⁴But 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.

9  ⁹And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and ^(a) on the same day was the sabbath.

1.  John 9:14 -  ¹⁴And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.

10.  ¹⁰The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

a.  Ex. 20:10 - ¹⁰But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

Neh. 13:19 -  ¹⁹And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.

Jer. 17:21-20-27; - ²¹Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
 ²²Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.
 ²³But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.
 ²⁴And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;
 ²⁵Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever.
 ²⁶And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the LORD.
 ²⁷But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.

Mark 2:24; 3:4;

Mark 2:24

 24And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

Mark 3:4

 4And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

Luke 6:2; 13:14 –

2And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?

 14And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.