By Gary Hellender

Who are you talking to?   From THE BIBLE in John Chapter 5:

5 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, ^[a]Bethesda, having five porches. ³ In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, ^[b]paralyzed, ^[c]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.

Observations:

1. It can be hard to see others being blessed, getting healed…right in front of you..when you are in the same condition…for a Long Time.
2. THE LORD SEES YOU and understands your plight.
3. THE LORD made provision for you to be healed! 
4. We can be fixed on only one way to receive a healing, a blessing, etc.  (our limited understanding).
5. GOD can be right in front of us and we miss it because we are looking for someone else to help us.

(Are we looking to GOD or to man?)

6. When THE LORD tries to help us, we often first complain about the problem instead of listening to HIM and HIS solution.
7. I know what it’s like to be hurting on the pool deck.
8. HE asks, Do you want to be made well?  (Yes HE knows the answer.) JESUS wants you to express yourself and your desire to HIM.  

JESUS came a long way, from Heaven to Earth,  to meet our need personally, but the best part is being able to talk with HIM and for HIM to talk to us.

Let’s Pray: “FATHER, Thank YOU for sending JESUS to die for my sins to allow me to become one of YOUR children if I put my faith in JESUS.

                   LORD, Please be my LORD.  I believe YOU died on the cross and rose from the dead and I want to have eternal life…the relationship with YOU, GOD, that YOU died to give me.  I turn to YOU now.  Help me to hear YOU and to listen.  Thank YOU for hearing me!

                  In JESUS Name. Amen”

Bless YOU!! 

Gary Hellender

Assistant Pastor