Week of September 9, 2013

[GinNJ]

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

Psalm 9:10

And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Psalm 55:22
Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you;
He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.


I Will Trust in You ~ Jeremy Camp

When I can't see You, I know You're there
When I can't feel You, I will not fear
I will trust in You and I will not be afraid

When the battle is close at hand
Though You're with me and help me stand
I will trust in You and I will not be afraid

I will not be afraid
I will not be afraid
I will trust in You, I will trust in You, I will trust in You

When the darkness is close at hands
And I'm running against the wind
I will trust in You and I will not be afraid

When I'm standing upon that shore
All the battles I've gone before
I will trust in You and I will not be afraid

'Cuz I will not be afraid
I will not be afraid
I will trust in You, I will trust in You, I will trust in You
I will trust in You, I will trust in You, I will trust in You
I will trust in You

'Cuz I will not be afraid
I will not be afraid
'Cuz I will not be afraid
I will not be afraid
I will trust in You, I will trust in You, I will trust in You
I will trust in You, I will trust in You, I will trust in You

[Miami]

Wednesday September 11, 2013

The Healing at the Pool

5 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. [4] 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,

Always one of the most interesting versers is when Jesus ask the man "do you want to get well". Most of say to ourselves of course he does. But the man didn't even ask for Jesus for help. The man didn't see Jesus as the healer, he believed in the curative powers of the water. A man made solution (myth). The man didn't know who Jesus was, it wasn't that he had faith in Jesus, it was the fact that he was not limited to a lack of faith.

There are so many searching in todays world for a place to put there Faith. Sometimes we think we have Faith. We go to church, bible studies and even pray. But true Faith comes not by seeing but knowing. If we limit ourselves with doubt or lack of Faith, when we're really ready to receive we can't.

When Jesus did walk into the mans life, he was ready to receive. Even though the main had been trusting in fables and things of this world. When Jesus told him to "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk" he did it. Even though what he was doing was consider a violation of the law. It was the Sabbath.

Jesus was the solution. Not because the could help him get to the water, because he was the healer.

Then there is the question do we want help? Sometimes we turn to God with the wrong goal in mind. If we are worried about out finances, do we ask God to help us work into a better job, or do we ask to win the lottery. If there is a relationship problem. Do we ask God to change that person, or are we ourselves the one the needs to change.

Do you really want to be healed? Do you have faith in the one true healer? Very good questions to ask ourselves.

Song:

Give Me Faith

I need You to soften my heart,
To break me apart.
I need You to open my eyes,
To see that You're shaping my life.

All I am,
I surrender.

Give me faith to trust what You say
That You're good, and Your love is great.
I'm broken inside, I give You my life.

I need You to soften my heart,
To break me apart.
I need You to pierce through the dark
And cleanse every part of me.

I may be weak, but
Your Spirit's strong in me.
My flesh may fail, but
My God You never will. (repeat)