Friday, December 11, 2015

STIRRING OF THE WATER

John 5:1-15

The Amplified Bible states this:
John 5: 1 Later on there was a Jewish festival (feast) for which Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem a pool near the Sheep Gate. This pool in the Hebrew is called Bethesda, having five porches (alcoves, colonnades, doorways). 3 In these lay a great number of sick folk---some blind, some crippled and some paralyzed (shriveled up)----- waiting for the bubbling up of the water. 4 For an angel of the Lord went down at appointed seasons into the pool and moved and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was cured of whatever disease with which he was afflicted. 5 There was a certain man there who had suffered with a deep-seated and lingering disorder for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus noticed him lying there [helpless], knowing that he had already been a long time in that condition. He said to him, "Do you want to become well?" [Are you really in earnest about getting well?"]  7 The invalid answered, Sir I have nobody when the water is moving to put me into the pool; but while I am trying to come [into it] myself, somebody else steps down ahead of me. 8 Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your bed (sleeping pad) and walk!"  9 Instantly the man became well and recovered his strength and picked up his bed and walked. But that happened on the Sabbath. 10 So the Jews kept saying to the man who had been healed, it is the Sabbath, and you have no right to pick up your bed [it is not lawful].  11 He answered them, The "Man Who healed me and gave me back my strength, He Himself said to me, Pick up your bed and walk. 12 They asked him, Who is the Man Who told you, Pick up your bed and walk? 13 Now the invalid who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had quietly gone away [ had passed on unnoticed], since there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward, when Jesus found him in the temple, He said to him, "See you are well!" "Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus Who had made him well.

Where does your healing come from? Does it come in a bottle? Does it come instantly? Well according to some pastors, some say it takes awhile for many to get their healing, yet I have never found that looking over the pages of healing Jesus did. And many times, He just gave a command like the above. He did not lay hands on him but Jesus saw the helpless man. It does not say that Jesus gave Him His hand, it only says, "Get up! Pick up your bed and walk!"

Can you imagine day in and day out, laying on a mat, some kind of sleeping pad? Talk about a hard bed! And we complain if the bed is not a King size bed!
I always think why this man was chosen. There were many there that day who had some kind of lameness, blindness or other ailment. They were some who could not do much or go very far. Yet Jesus came to this one man. Some teach that Jesus did not want to bring a demonstration and that is probably true. But my question: "Did any follow Jesus when they saw the miracle or did they not see at all?"
Yet we know the leaders did see it. In reading on in the same chapter and down to verse 16 Amplified reads this: For this reason the Jews began to persecute (annoy,torment) Jesus and sought to kill Him, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath.
Reading on in verse 30 I am able to to do nothing from Myself [independently, of my own accord----but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide . As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision], and my judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [ I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me.

That stirring of the water was doing more than just healing some people. It disturbed those who saw a man healed on a day that they regarded as religious. Man certainly wanted to change what God had given in the beginning.  At some point, anything given by God would ultimately be brought back to being twisted by man and the good like Jesus did, was violating their (Jewish leaders views) which was on the premise of the pride "thing" and hypocrisy.

STIRRING:

On this thought process today, I go to that moment when Jesus probably has been given a nudge by the Holy Spirit to go to the pool! And entering and seeing all those who are unable to do anything for that which binds them to illness, weakness, to a debilitated state where they either have to lie on a mat day in and day out or they might have some movement, but yet need help.
It has been written in some commentaries that whether an "angel" came and stirred the water is not certain. Some think at some times that there was a possibility of minerals being sent by a heating form from underground and would cause the stirring, that bubbling up as an effervescent action. My thought is in reading this today that God in all His graciousness had brought some hope to those who saw it and could get to it. And the second was this and I think this is above all the most important..........that Jesus came into that place and walked over many.........spoke one to one with the man and the man walked away from the pool, from that which ailed him and praised God for His goodness to Him. I believe that Jesus comes to us, any who somehow find themselves in an area like the pool of Bethesda. He comes to check on us. And are just watching for the pool of water to be "stirred " again or are we looking for Jesus, the Healer? Are we looking over to Sister So and So (and you know, she has issues too) who we can tell our trouble to or are we proclaiming the good news that Jesus has healed  us and made us complete? For you would certainly know that a gathering together of sick souls and bodies brings out the worst these dear folks suffer from in their life!
If you have even been in for an infusion, you can hear the stories and grant many must give their information as to any allergic reactions but to continue in giving the same details to a new person who just walked in is tough on that new person. Some are apprehensive enough about what they are about to endure for hours, but those who know God can have peace that passes all our understanding.

Jesus told the man to "Get up, take his mat and walk!" Jesus wanted him to walk which he had probably never done, and to take his mat. Take of that which would remind anyone you had been in that condition and walk. Walk!
Now Jesus can come in and do quietly for us when no one watches, when no one cares, and when others are waiting on that "pool" thing. But walk.........praise God, give glory to Jesus the Healer, the Great Physician and do what you are to do everyday..........all to the praise of God and His mighty deeds! Tell others about what Jesus did for you,........and tell them when He healed you and what you profess today about Him.

Do we get caught up in that "POOL ACTION"? ARE we captivated and would rather wait for our turn, you know our time in the pool or will we recognize and know Jesus came to heal all. In all His journey in and around those He came in contact with, I did not see any go or leave in anyway, shape or form the same, but for the unbeliever who did not like what He was doing any day of the week and on the Sabbaths would probably without doubt leave empty, no healing and the same 'ole' person.

Matthew 19:2
2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. NIV

Matthew 21:14-15
14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 
NKJV

Luke 4:40-41
40 When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. 41 And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of God!" And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ. 
NKJV


I recently heard of this care called "Wound Care" and it is for those who have gone through some kind of treatment like radiation or many surgeries and the body will no longer heal itself in that area of body, so one has to have this wound care for that body area. It is sometimes for the rest of one's life but is helpful to those who really need it.
Jesus is our Wounded Care giver. For He surely bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. He was the wounded for our transgressions ( our sins).
Isaiah 53:4-5
Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten,and afflicted by God [ as with leprosy] Matthew 8:17
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needed to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.

In closing: Jesus asked" are you really earnest about getting well?"
Are you " fully serious"? Are you " zealously sincere" about getting well?
Are you "making a demand" for healing?"
Yes, Yes, and Yes!
We have to act like the healed even when we do not feel it in our bodies. We must rise up........take this word from Isaiah 53 and confess that we are the healed and made whole by the wounded Jesus who took our transgression and was bruised for our guilt and iniquities (sins) . He took my punishment and your punishment and we do not have to have it, ever. That chastisement needed for us to obtain peace and well-being was met in Jesus. Today, we are the healed, made whole. Our lives are characterized by being the comfortable, the healthy and the HAPPY! Amen.



You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV



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