Healing Waters

Day 14:


Today in church, the pastor discussed how God is the true healing water as evidenced by John chapter 5.There were three main points but for this post will only focus on one, today. The three points are Christ cures, Christ creates conspiracy and Christ's claim to be the Messiah. The one I am going to focus on is Christ cures, which is based off of verses 1-16 in chapter 5 of John. I'll post it below for reference.

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.  Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.

John 5.1-16

Today the sermon hit home, and it was so good! The story explained how a man thought he could be healed by getting into the pool of water, yet he had the living water himself right in front of him. Amazing story! Anyways that isn't the point, at the end of the message, my pastor asked two questions, about if we had any sin that we haven't repented or any hurts that need to be healed. He asked us to stand up in front of the church family if we fell into one of the two categories. I wanted to stand up so bad, but I was scared. Do you know that feeling? I finally gathered the courage to stand up. The courage I know now, that came from God. I heard his voice so strongly in my head saying, stand up. Then my pastor said to those still sitting to pick someone who was standing to pray for them this week, then he had the surrounding people pray for us. I started crying, even as the last song played. I knew the song by heart, so even though I was crying, I could have my eyes closed and still sing the song. I can't even begin to explain how awesome that feeling was.


I had the courage to stand. Do you?


Tonight, one of my best friends was baptized! I was so excited and nervous for her. She did great giving her testimony. I cried, but they were happy tears. I love her so much. The celebration service was awesome, very uplifting and encouraging. I even had a few people pray over me. Its scary to talk about the struggles going on right now. Overall I was encouraged and my paths were made straight, because of the people who prayed for me. It was so great! They helped me separate the truth from the lies. I am so thankful for them.


Lord,
I praise you for this day. I praise you for the courage to stand in front of my family and obey your will. You know that I was afraid, but I still listened to what you said to me. I love you so much. I want to pray for those who are fasting and that they continue to stay encouraged on the last week stretch. Thank you for always being my comfort. I want to praise for the life that was lifted up to you tonight as she followed in obedience and took that step of faith. I pray for healing for all those that stood up in church today. I pray for revival in the coming weeks for the all church journey. I praise you for those that lifted me up tonight because they are your servants and some of my greatest friends, that you have blessed me with. Thank you again! I pray all these things in your name.


Amen.