Ever had an occurrence that became a life lesson?
This month I had an experience of a tire deflating in the midst of rush hour traffic. Thank God, five people with biblical names came to my rescue, in the following order:
– Samuel, forewarned me of what the warning
Light indicated.
– Daniel, examined the tire and gave proper
warning.
– Isaiah, since the tire would not inflate, he stayed on
scene with me until help arrived.
– Martha, assisted in having car towed and was my proxy with David to assure four new quality tires were purchased.
Reflecting on that experience I now see ………
God Was In The Midst!
This is a lesson that John depicts well in his writings on:
– the pool of Siloam (Messiah’s Pool, John 9:7)
– the pool of Bethesda (Bethzatha, John 5:2)
Research reveals that these pools were called mikvoth, pools used for ceremonial cleansing before going up to the Temple.
Below are focus verses from John chapters 5 and 9, as you read them look for intercessors nuggets of wisdom.
In John 5:3-9, at the pool of Bethesda:
3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease they had.
5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
Then John 9:31, 33, 39 at the pool of Siloam:
v 31, “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.”
v 33, “If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.”
v 39, “And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.”
Notice the protocol Jesus was received by man, he cleansed, healed and became their Savior. These actions are similar to salvation: as we repent and accept Jesus, we are cleansed by baptism, and Jesus heals our soul from sin by becoming our Lord and Savior.
Bringing…. God In Our Midst!
Key intercessors nuggets of wisdom from these chapters are:
– God doesn’t hear sinners
– God responds to worshippers and will manifest healing among them
– Those who don’t believe are considered sick as they are spiritually blind. Symptoms of spiritual blindness, includes:
- More faith in man than God
- Limits God existence to only abiding in
the temple
- They negate that God works everyday in many ways
– Meeting the persons need may lead them to
accept salvation
– To thank Jesus for the healing, testify and
stay whole by not returning to sin
– Pools show us that Jesus can be encountered
anywhere (ie, rooftop, dessert, nailshop, barber,
etc.)
John 5:17 MSG
In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”
These life lessons make me grateful for the Trinity (God, Jesus and Holy Spirit) and the Angels. Grateful as I’m realizing they never retire, are never out of reach, never outnumbered and the power of God among them will never expire.
As a prayer network we aim to stay with Gods will and way. Unlike the world our growth is not measured by a number of years but by God Being In The Midst. He is sure to be in our midst as we learn like Jesus to deny the carnal man and fortify his spirit man by worshipping God daily. What’s the recipe to stay in worship?
– be consistent in the study of his word (armor)
– commune always (pray, sing songs/praises)
– partake of him (communion)
– surrender to him (fasting)
Combining these spiritual ingredients keeps God In The Midst as evidenced by these exploits (daring feats of healing). These sick men physically saw Jesus, who intervened as Greatest Intercessor proving GOD IN THE MIDST.
