{"id":2770,"date":"2021-06-11T08:18:56","date_gmt":"2021-06-11T16:18:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=2770"},"modified":"2021-06-11T08:18:56","modified_gmt":"2021-06-11T16:18:56","slug":"devotion-john-51-14-doing-it-his-way-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=2770","title":{"rendered":"Devotion John 5:1-14 Doing It His Way Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

John 5:1-14\u00a0<\/b>–\u00a0Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals.<\/i><\/span>\u00a02\u00a0Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate\u00a0a pool, which in Aramaic\u00a0is called Bethesda\u00a0and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades.<\/span>\u00a03\u00a0Here a great number of disabled people used to lie\u2014the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.<\/span>\u00a0 4 From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease they had. \u00a05\u00a0One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.<\/span>\u00a06\u00a0When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cDo you want to get well?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>7\u00a0\u201cSir,\u201d the invalid replied, \u201cI have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.\u201d 8\u00a0Then Jesus said to him,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cGet up! Pick up your mat and walk.\u201d<\/span>\u00a09\u00a0At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,<\/span>\u00a010\u00a0and so the Jewish leaders\u00a0said to the man who had been healed, \u201cIt is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.\u201d 11\u00a0But he replied, \u201cThe man who made me well said to me,\u00a0<\/span>\u2018Pick up your mat and walk.\u2019<\/span>\u00a0\u201d 12\u00a0So they asked him, \u201cWho is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?\u201d 13\u00a0The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.\u00a0 14\u00a0Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cSee, you are well again. Stop sinning\u00a0or something worse may happen to you.\u201d<\/span>\u00a015\u00a0The man went away and told the Jewish leaders\u00a0that it was Jesus who had made him well.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cOne who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.<\/i><\/span>\u00a06\u00a0When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cDo you want to get well?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>This person who was an invalid for thirty-eight years was well known to people who visited the temple.\u00a0\u00a0He was always there, on his mat, hoping someone would help.\u00a0\u00a0The Jewish leaders allowed him to beg on the temple steps.\u00a0\u00a0The Sadducees and the Pharisees were understanding enough and merciful enough to allowed this.\u00a0\u00a0Now I wonder how many of the churches that we attend would allow the people who are invalids and needing help to sit outside our churches and beg and cry out to all those who pass by?\u00a0\u00a0Would our pastors and elders allow the needy, the truly needy to do this?\u00a0\u00a0Before and after services?\u00a0\u00a0Would we ourselves object to it?\u00a0\u00a0Is it too disturbing to see the hurt of others?\u00a0\u00a0Do we not want to feel the need to help even though God would want us to notice the need and to consider whether we could help, whether big or small?\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019m not sure if I know of any church that I have attended would allow this.\u00a0\u00a0I know of at least one that I know chases them off their property.\u00a0\u00a0After all, the congregants would not want to be of our duty one to another.\u00a0\u00a0If that is us, how does that go along with\u00a0Matthew 25:35-40<\/b>\u00a0or\u00a0Proverbs 3:27<\/b>?\u00a0\u00a0The deep meaning behind these verses is not law, it is love and if we are without the love of God within us, then we are not God\u2019s child. (1 John 4:8<\/b>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus asked the invalid man if he wanted to be healed.\u00a0\u00a0At first this seems like a silly question.\u00a0\u00a0And maybe if we asked the question it would be silly.\u00a0\u00a0But this is Jesus, who knew all people, how they have lived their lives, and like the Samaritan woman at the well, He was asking questions to touch the soul.\u00a0\u00a0This man had lived as an invalid for thirty-eight years.\u00a0\u00a0It is very possible that he did not know if he would know how to live as a whole person.\u00a0\u00a0Maybe at first he hoped and prayed to be healthy and then after the many years of dashed hopes, the expectation within him of being healed had withered.\u00a0\u00a0Today, that can happen with us.\u00a0\u00a0Sometimes we can feel so beaten down that our hope has lost the \u201cp\u201d and has become a hoe that is a burdensome work that only seems to turn soil with no hope of producing a good crop.\u00a0\u00a0Perhaps we can become so beaten down that we don\u2019t know if we would know how to survive even if things suddenly got miraculously better? Hurt and convenience may seem like all we know.\u00a0\u00a0Maybe this man once rushed for the stirring water and then began to not try as hard?\u00a0\u00a0Jesus wanted to change his perspective and let him know that his prayers were always heard and there was a day appointed for them to be answered.\u00a0\u00a0Perhaps that day was today.\u00a0\u00a0It is the state of mind that we need to live in, perhaps today the Lord will provide the answer.\u00a0\u00a0We already know that every day is a day for salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10<\/b>) and so we know that every day is a day that God can move mightily in our favor. Every day God\u2019s mercy is fresh and available.\u00a0Lamentations 3:22-23\u00a0<\/b>\u201c<\/span>Because of the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u2019s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.\u00a023<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness.\u201d\u00a0<\/i>\u00a0Sometimes the downtrodden need a touch from God and if we love God and are yielded to Him, then we should be willing to be that needed touch.\u00a0\u00a0(Matthew 5:42, 1 John 3:17-18<\/b>)\u00a0\u00a0Some say they want no help and are happy, that is not always the truth.\u00a0\u00a0Sometimes we need to push.<\/p>\n

As always the two greatest commandments reveal will of God for our life.\u00a0\u00a0(Mark 12:29-31<\/b>) Let us love and help each other.\u00a0\u00a0Give to the poor and not only to those who can pay us back.\u00a0\u00a0Yes, we can loan, but when someone cannot pay back still give.\u00a0\u00a0After all the Lord has given to us and we cannot pay Him back.\u00a0\u00a0God who gave to us watches us.\u00a0\u00a0We know that God who gave to us can resupply every need that arises.\u00a0\u00a0(Malachi 3:10<\/b>)\u00a0\u00a0After all, we have because He endlessly loves and gives.\u00a0\u00a0That is what we should do.\u00a0\u00a0He will direct us.\u00a0\u00a0Let us endlessly love and give.\u00a0\u00a0God will resupply as we walk in faith with Him.\u00a0\u00a0He really is so good to us.\u00a0\u00a0He really does love us.\u00a0\u00a0Jesus will show this invalid man the truth of that.\u00a0\u00a0Praise God!<\/p>\n

Psalm 150:6<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.\u00a0 Praise the Lord!<\/i><\/p>\n

Micah 7:7<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0But as for me, I watch\u00a0in hope\u00a0for the\u00a0Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear\u00a0me.<\/i><\/p>\n

Micah 6:8<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0He has\u00a0shown you, Oh man, what\u00a0is\u00a0good; and what does the\u00a0Lord\u00a0require of you, but\u00a0to do justly, to love\u00a0mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.<\/i><\/p>\n

Numbers 6:24-26<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0The\u00a0Lord\u00a0bless you and keep you; 25\u00a0The\u00a0Lord\u00a0make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26\u00a0The\u00a0Lord\u00a0turn His face\u00a0toward you and give you peace.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

John 5:1-14\u00a0–\u00a0Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals.\u00a02\u00a0Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate\u00a0a pool, which in Aramaic\u00a0is called Bethesda\u00a0and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades.\u00a03\u00a0Here a great number of disabled people used to lie\u2014the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.\u00a0 4 From time to time…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1192],"tags":[129,100,2468,2472,93,101,94,1874,88,17],"class_list":["post-2770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devotion","tag-corinthians","tag-john","tag-lamentations","tag-malachi","tag-mark","tag-matthew","tag-micah","tag-numbers","tag-proverbs","tag-psalm"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2770","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2770"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2770\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2771,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2770\/revisions\/2771"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2770"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2770"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2770"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}