In John 5 ----We find the Account of a man who was Crippled and couldn’t walk.
For 38 Years this man had been in that same spot ----doing the SAME THING.
Now there is something to be said for CONSISTENCY and PATIENCE ---But this may be going to far.
John 5:6-7 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
Now to you that may sound like Jesus is asking a FOOLISH QUESTION.
But the text says that Jesus "Knew he had been there a long time.
Jesus knew that God had made Provision for Healing for His COVENANT PEOPLE.
Remember? What he said about the Woman in the Temple that day who was all bent over?
Luke 13:16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
Covenant People Have Rights! ----God has Provided for His Own People.
Why hadn’t this man tapped into what God had already provided?
Maybe he just liked to hang around that place ----Maybe he LIKE the PITY people had on him.
Some folks are like that.
They hang onto their Sickness ----or their Problems ----So they’ll have something to Talk about.
Some folks don’t want God to heal them cause then they’ll have to Go to Work.
If you’ve been in your situation for a LONG TIME and NOTHING is CHANGING----
You may need to STOP what you’ve been DOING and START doing something else.
If your life gets better in any substantial amout it WILL BE because of something YOU DO
or something you QUIT DOING.
God has Provided EVERYTHING you need to Succeed in Life and Godliness
Wishing won’t change your life -----Complaining won’t make it better.
Being Jealous of others or criticizing them to Justify yourself and your lack----
To Upease your conscience for Your IN-CONSISTENCY-----
---WILL NOT MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER---It will make it WORSE.
It’s like QuickSand ----The more you Wallow in that JUNK ----The DEEPER you’ll Go.
You may need to Get out of that Place ----You may need to Do Something Else.
"But I don’t know what to do" ASK GOD
---James 1:5 says "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
Now, You’ve got to Ask In Faith.
You can’t say "God I ask you for Wisdom for this Situation" One Minute ---Then then turn to your neighbor and Say "I just don’t have any Idea what I’m gonna do now"
If you’re gonna bother to Ask God ---You ought to Respect Him enough to believe He will Answer you. ----that’s the kind of God He is.
The Question Jesus was Asking "DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE WHOLE?" IS a VALID QUESTION.
And the Answer
John 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
Now This is Where -----the Rubber meets the Road.
It’s one thing to Say you want your situation to Change
----It’s something else to ACTUALLY do something about it.
Now this man has another Problem
He has to DO what Jesus said if he’s going to Get what He wants.
But He also Knew it wasn’t Right
----According to the Law of the day to carry his bed on the Sabbath.
Now is DECISION TIME.
So the man picked up his bed and Off he went.
But look at Verses 10-11
10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
38 years he had been at that pool and the law nor the leaders of that day had ever done anything to help him.
but ----The man who made him whole had said to "take up thy bed and walk".
So to him it was WISE to do what the man with the power to make him whole had said.
Rather than to worry about popular opinion or tradition ....
Which had never done anything for him.
We just have to make the choice to follow Jesus no matter who it upsets
.....no matter whose traditions we break.
The boss may have the power to fire you, but Jesus has power to provide for you.
Your friends may forsake you ----But Jesus said "I will NEVER leave you, nor forsake you."
Your Family may turn their backs on you ----But God wants to adopt you into a NEW FAMILY.
We have to make the CHOICE to Go with what works -----Not what is Just Normal and Expected.
But you say "Pastor Nick, I just don’t know what to do" ---- You just Do what Jesus Says to You
"but how do I hear him" -----READ THE BIBLE and PRAY
Ask Him to Speak to you through His Word.
You can’t just ask Him to Guide you and Set on the couch watching television.
GET INTO THE WORD if you want to HEAR from HEAVEN.
