| This article is inspired by people who want | | | | question.But, here's what the man answered. |
| all the happiness, health, and wholeness in | | | | Could he have been making excuses? Remember, |
| their lives, but yet they aren't willing to | | | | excuses will only hold you back."The invalid |
| make that one life changing decision in order | | | | answered, Sir, I have nobody when the water |
| to get it. I'm trying to understand what it | | | | is moving to put me into the pool; but while |
| is they are waiting for.People tend to make | | | | I am trying to come (into it) myself, |
| all kinds of excuses for their decisions and | | | | somebody else steps down ahead of me." Jn. |
| to me, an excuse is something that will only | | | | 5:7 (Amplified)Had this man prepared himself |
| hold you back. We hear so many different | | | | before hand to be ready to simply roll into |
| opinions, we listen to other peoples' advice | | | | the pool, he would've been healed a long time |
| based on their personal experinces and we | | | | ago. Do you know anyone who keeps waiting in |
| hear negative feed back which keeps us | | | | the background and won't step forward to help |
| sitting on the side lines and never allow us | | | | themselves? No matter how much they hear |
| to get in the game. Jesus said He came to | | | | about the saving grace of God and what they |
| give us life to the fullest. He never | | | | need to do to receive it, they will still |
| intended for us to sit down and wait for | | | | wait because of false opinions or advise from |
| someone else to do the job for us. If we want | | | | other sick people.Christ has compassion but |
| to get something done, we have to make up our | | | | He showed this man "tough love." Sometimes we |
| own mind to do it, and then our heavenly | | | | need a forceful shove in the right direction. |
| Father can take us by the hand and provide us | | | | We need to realize that there is no better |
| with all the things we only wish we had.I am | | | | time than now."Jesus said to him, GET UP! |
| writing this from personal experience. While | | | | PICK UP YOUR BED AND WALK!" Jn. 5:8 |
| I was in the world, I sought happiness but | | | | (Amplified)Once the man was given an order, |
| couldn't find it in terms of fulfillment. I | | | | not an option, he was made to realize that |
| was still empty. This high expectation of | | | | this was something he had to do for himself. |
| fleeting happiness turned into negativity and | | | | Without Christ to be the One to have the |
| that turned into defeat. I expected happiness | | | | faith and confidence, this man would never |
| to come from the outside, through other | | | | have been healed. When we choose other |
| people, places and things. But, this only set | | | | Christian believers to associate with, they |
| me up for bigger let downs. True happiness, | | | | will challenge us to come closer to Christ as |
| health and wholeness must come from within, | | | | well. When we have people who believe in us, |
| through a personal relationship with Christ. | | | | we too will realize our potential. We don't |
| Anything else is superficial and it just | | | | have to remain on the sidelines anymore. We |
| won't last. But Christ is forever, His | | | | just have to get up and walk!So what are you |
| promises are real and His Truth will never | | | | waiting for? Don't just sit there. He knows |
| fail us. Once we make up our own mind to | | | | how we hate to wait for things. When we |
| receive Him, our waiting period is over.The | | | | listen to Him, things will begin to change |
| Bible is full of examples that show us how | | | | immediately. He won't make us wait. The |
| people are defeated through wrong thinking | | | | invalid found this out and realized he had |
| and motives. People were the same back then | | | | wasted 38 years of his life...just |
| as they are today. That's why God's Word will | | | | waiting."Instantly the man became well and |
| never go out of style. God will not leave us | | | | recovered his strength and picked up his bed |
| hanging, He always gives the answer so we may | | | | and walked. But that happened on a Sabbath." |
| overcome defeat when the devil comes to keep | | | | Jn. 5:9 (Amplified)Jesus will instantly heal |
| us in the dark.The example I want to use is | | | | you too, He will give you strength to keep |
| found in John chapter 5. It describes the | | | | walking in truth. You will learn to listen to |
| place where all the sick people gathered. | | | | His voice and will no longer listen to |
| When we expose ourselves to people that don't | | | | negative people. But this man's healing led |
| edify us, we will never strive to survive | | | | to a problem. Unfortuneatly, once we become |
| either. We must choose our friends carefully. | | | | healed, Satan will move right in and want to |
| If we expose ourselves to negative, sick | | | | cause us problems. The Pharisees heard about |
| people, we will be negative and sick also. | | | | this and immediately wanted to have Jesus |
| But if we fix ourselves on positive people, | | | | killed. There are those who will not be happy |
| our own outlook will be raised up to another | | | | about your walk with Christ. But this should |
| level. So all these sick people were gathered | | | | not deter you one minute longer from coming |
| together in one place, trying to out do the | | | | to Christ. As I said in the beginning of this |
| other people in seeing who could get into the | | | | article, Jesus is true to His promises."Just |
| pool first in order to be healed. In other | | | | as the Father raises up the dead and gives |
| words, they waited on someone else or | | | | them life [makes them live on], even so the |
| something else to make them better. In this | | | | Son also gives life to whomever He wills and |
| case it was the angel of the Lord. In between | | | | is pleased to give it." Jn. 5:21 |
| the appointed time that the angel of the Lord | | | | (Amplified)It's God's desire that all come to |
| would stir up the water in the pool, they | | | | Christ in order to be well. One of the divine |
| would not prepare themselves for their own | | | | attributes of God is His Spirit of giving. He |
| healing. There are those today who are in | | | | is so pleased when someone who has been |
| need of healing, but are waiting for someone | | | | sitting by the pool decides to pick up his |
| or something to give it to them without | | | | bed and walk, His angels in heaven rejoice |
| preparing first. Everyone needs to be | | | | over them.If this person is you, what are |
| ready."There was a certain man there who had | | | | waiting for? Get up and walk!When you receive |
| suffered with a deep-seated and lingering | | | | Christ, God's work in you has just |
| disorder for thirty eight years." Jn. 5:5 | | | | begun.Vivian Gordon is led by the Holy Spirit |
| (Amplified)I know people who have been | | | | to reach out and |
| suffering a long time with the disorder of | | | | |
| remaining unsaved. Without Christ, we will | | | | give the Christian and non Christian alike |
| have deep-seated and lingering illnesses in | | | | something to |
| our lives as well. But they prefer to sit on | | | | |
| the side lines and wait for a miracle. They | | | | think about in their own lives. These |
| want to be convinced by an outside source. | | | | articles are meant |
| Healing begins from within. It's something | | | | |
| that only you can decide for yourself.When | | | | to edify the reader and bring them deeper. |
| Christ saw this man in his helpless condition | | | | They are |
| He stopped and said, "DO YOU WANT TO BECOME | | | | |
| WELL?" (vs.6)In other words, Christ | | | | based on spirituality, inspiration, and |
| confronted this man with an honest question. | | | | today's morals |
| He will ask you the same thing too. "Do you | | | | |
| want to get well?" It's not a difficult | | | | and how we need to get back to basics. |