Saturday... We each one have a need.

Saturday... We each one have a need. We really do. Everyone of us have a need.

Over in John 5:2-4 (NLT), it says, "Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people - blind, lame, or paralyzed - lay on the porches." And that is where Jesus went. 

John continues in verse 5. It says, "One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years." Thirty-eight years he had been sick. What about our need? How long have we had it? Have we gotten to the place that we have gotten used to it? Oh, we act like we want to do something about it but we have just gotten used to it and that can be one way of handling it.

Verse 6, "When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, 'Would you like to get well?'" And He still is asking that same question today. He is asking you through me today? And your answer may be the same as this man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. He said, "I can't, sir." 

Now the word can't is a powerful word. And in so many different ways we use it. I can't get taller but I can lose weight, I can be healthy. Can't is a reality in some areas of our life but it also keeps us from doing something which if we did would make such a difference. Can't can be the word we use but won't is what we really mean.

Here is the key. Can't is a word that Jesus came in this world to deal with. He died for us to do what we can't do. But we must turn to Him and let Him work a miracle in our life. And that is what He did with this man.

Now the man did have some reasons or maybe they were excuses why he couldn't get well. And we do too. Verse 7, "The sick man said, 'for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is troubled. Someone else always get there ahead of me.'"

Jesus didn't listen to the excuse or reason and He said in verse 8, "'Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!"

Now there is always something for us to do in order to get our need taken care of. Yes, we turn to Jesus and then do what He says. And if you are really serious He will tell you what to do. It may not be easy and it may go against your excuses but He will let you know what to do. 

It may mean you start going to church, you may need to get in a small group, you may need to find and start going to Celebrate Recovery and being honest about your problem, your addiction, whatever it may be and then you doing what they say to do. If you are having financial problems, you may need to search online for Dave Ramsey and start taking Baby Steps to getting out of your financial problem. You may be having marriage problems, family problems or emotional problems and you need to go to counseling or health problems and you need to go see a Doctor.  But for sure you need to start reading the Bible and praying and meditating and then listening for His still small voice. There will be something that you will need to do. 

But He will make a difference if you turn to Him and do what He says. That is why He came to earth. So, come to Him and be honest and then do what He says. He wants to help you take care of your need. He really does. But you have to do what He says. 

By the way, the book of John in the Bible is a great place to start. He wants to help you take care of your needs. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning