Desiring change

John 5:1–9 (NKJV)

1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” 7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.

When Jesus went to this pool, there where multitudes of people there with all types of infirmities.

Yet none of them looked to Jesus, they focused on the waters, focused on their own way that they missed the true way.

How many of us do this same thing?

We get so focused on our way of coping, of dealing, or even just being comfortable with how are lives are going we neglect the one that desires to make our lives so much better.

Spurgeon pictured the multitude waiting around the waters of the Pool of Bethesda, all of them waiting – instead of looking to Jesus. He thought of how foolish this waiting is for many people.

Some wait for a more convenient season.

Some wait for dreams and visions.

Some wait for signs and wonders.

Some wait to be compelled.

Some wait for a revival.

Some wait for particular feelings.

Some wait for a celebrity.

Some just like to wait and the attention it brings, not really wanting to change.

If we truly desire change, we must look to the one who inspires change.

Jesus told the man to do something unthinkable at the time, something impossible.

He challenged him to the greatest extent, 38 years of sickness and nothing had changed.

We must be willing to be confronted, challenged and moved by Gods word and work in our lives to change our lives.

We must read the word with expectancy and a readiness to be shaken and moved.

We must allow the Word of God to confront us, to disturb our security, to undermine our complacency and to overthrow our patterns of thought and behavior.

John Robert Walmsley Stott (English Preacher)

If we want to change, we must be diligent to be in the Word.

What does it meant to be in the word, How do i read the bible?

Begin with reading or hearing. Go on with meditation; end in prayer.

Reading without meditation is unfruitful; meditation without reading is hurtful; to meditate and to read without prayer upon both, is without blessing.

bio.williambridge_1

Read/Hear

Meditate

Pray

It is not so true that “prayer changes things” as that prayer changes me and I change things.

Oswald Chambers (Lecturer and Missionary)

For change to happen in our lives we must first…

Desire change

Be ready for God to work in ways that we don’t find contemporary.

Know that God’s timing is above ours and be ready in and out of season for Him to work in our lives.

Trust that Jesus is going to carry us through, He will never fail us.

Not relying on people, rely wholly on Christ.

Be seeking and searching in His word daily.

When Jesus asked this man if he wants to be healed, it is a sincere question.

Not every person that is sick wants to be healed, losing all hope, and giving in to despair and despondency.

Just because Jesus can heal and help us, if we give in to our despair, giving up on hope, and giving up on Him, how then can we hope that we will be able to give our issues to Jesus?

If we give up on our desire to change, how is He supposed to help us?

We also get familiar with our pain, sin, or issues. Not desiring change in our lives.

sometimes its just getting too comfortable.

Jesus will never force you to give up your sin, or issues.

He will always wait for you to willingly give up what you are struggling with.

I have seen this in my live plenty of times.

The Holy Spirit will keep prompting me to leave my sin, but if I do not want to it will not be forced.

He will be there for me when I finally give in, but I have had to go through the fire due to my stubbornness.

So many times, in the scriptures, Jesus challenges the way things where “suppose” to be.

Here he healed a man that was “suppose” to be healed by another way.

In closing, let us not be so preoccupied with our own ways of doing life, our own rules, or our own sin, that we miss and opportunity to let Jesus heal and work in our lives.

Jesus wants nothing more than for us to grow and flourish, but we must give up our ideas of what is best, and let go, giving God full control of us and our lives.