Shake it off....and step up

Currently, our church is going through a 6 weeks series called "Miracles", and God has been moving in POWERFUL ways.

Today we studied, "Poolside Miracles" found in John 5:1-15 and what an amazing story of the lame man laying by the pool of Bethesda waiting to get in to receive his healing.

Yet week after week...year after year....he wasn't able to get into the pool hence he didn't receive healing. Then, along came Jesus and he asked the lame man,

" Would you like to get well?"

The lame man responded:

"I can't sir, for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me."

Jesus told him,

"Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!"

Instantly, the man was healed.

To the lame man, he thought the only way to find his miracle was to get into the pool. The lame man was so focused on being lame, that he wasn't aware of WHO was talking to him, and who healed him.

Where is your focus at??? Is it on your situation, or on the one who has Miracle working power?

What miracle do you need in your life??? What area of your life do you need God to reveal himself to you??
Do you find yourself sitting along side of the pool of Bethesda....feeling alone, complaining, wondering when it will be your turn to receive your healing???

You see..this lame man...was focused on getting into the pool...rather than focusing on Jesus..his TRUE healing. Where is your focus??? Is it:

~if I get that new job...everything will be ok?

~if my spouse would just change...everything would be ok?

~if i could purchase that bigger home....everything would be ok?

God, and only God...can heal you physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. He's waiting for you and I...to reach out...and trust him. He's bidding us to pick up or mat.....our trial..our situation..our troubles and trials...and walk with him.

There was once a story about a young man who worked with an excavation company; and this young man was working with his crew to fill a DEEP....hole with dirt. As this young man was looking down into the hole he lost his balance and fell in.

As this young man feel in, he hit a rock which cut his vocal cord and he wasn't able to call out to the men above to help him out. Instantly...fear filled his heart...and he began to panic.

Once the panic set in..this young man decided he needed to call out to God as he would be his only help. As he prayed..the Lord instructed him to FOCUS...shake off the dirt..and step up.

Soon, the young man heard the excavation trucks coming close to the hole to pour the dirt into the hole. As each load of dirt fell upon his head...he shook off the dirt.....and stepped up. The young man continued this....load..after load...dirt after dirt...rocks after rocks...until finally...some of the men on top..soon saw a hand...rising up from the dirt filled hole.

Shake it off...and Step up.

This is exactly what God is calling each and everyone of us to do.

Shake off the dirt...(our trials...our situations)...and step up....as God gently leads and guides us. God so longs for us to pick up our mat...and walk...and be healed!