Message from the Monthly Flyer June 2016

Lord, You will still bless me

Luke 5:1-9 KJV “After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 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 he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 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? 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. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked (…)”

Here comes another feast of the Jews. This man who has been crippled for thirty eight years surely thought that he was going to spend another feast in his sad condition. He did not know that Jesus was on His way for him and was going to change his situation once for all, turning things around in his life. How long have you prayed for a specific situation? God has not forsaken you. Lift up your head and look unto Jesus your deliverer. He is able to help you out, it does not matter how long you have been in that situation. Don’t give up in prayer, for Jesus is on His way for you. This man was crippled, lame, sick, disabled, limited in his movements for thirty eight years. He was a cast away, his situation seemed hopeless. But he never gave up. He kept close to the pool because he believed in a miracle. He kept praying and hoping for the supernatural to happen for him too. The following could have been the prayer that he addressed to God all these years, but it could also be your prayer: “God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, I believe that You are almighty. You will meet me at the point of my needs when Your time has come. Lord, You will not forget me. Even if I cannot get what others are getting, it does not matter how much I am crippled, lame or desperate, it does not matter if I don’t have enough strength or ability to get what I so much long for, I believe that You will come for me. If nobody can help me to get my blessing when the water is been stirred, I will wait upon You. I will hope in You. I will not leave the spot of hope, expectancy, steadfastness and perseverance. I will wait on You and You will surely come when I expect it the least. If my promise tarries, I will wait, for You cannot lie and You do what You say You will do.

“Lord, You see how forsaken and desperate I feel. I have been waiting and hoping all these years for my situation to change. Some of the folks who were sitting here with me and waiting for the water to move have given up. Some have died in their sickness because they gave up. But You are the God of my fathers and I belong to You. I will not let my faith die. If I succeeded in getting in the water and be healed, I would probably glorify myself, thinking that it happened because I was so smart or so intelligent. I would get the credit instead of giving You the glory. But Lord, I want You alone to get the glory. My helpless state is the opportunity for You to show Yourself strong and mighty in my situation. Your strength and Your power are revealed in my weaknesses and Your grace is sufficient for me. I will rejoice with those who were able to get in the water and were made whole. I will not be jealous or envious when my brothers and sisters are doing well. Yes Lord, I also want to enjoy the benefits of your blessings and I know that You can bless me too. You are the Way Maker, my El-Shadai and my Adonai. You know how long I have suffered. You know everything about my pain. And You will come for me. My time of blessing is coming. You did not save me for me to live a frustrated and unfulfilled life. You have called me for greatness and great things are coming my way if I just hold on to You. Some people have stopped talking to me because I made up my mind to love and serve You with all my life. Others have made suggestions about how I could sort myself out and find a quick solution to my dilemma. But I know that You hate sin and unrighteousness. I refuse to indulge into sin just because I am tired of waiting. I will renew my strength in You Lord. I believe that those who put their trust in You shall not be put to shame. So I will trust and obey.

“The sick people around me are all waiting for the water to be stirred so that they can be healed. But Lord, You are not dependant on any external mean or environmental condition to help me out. If You want, You can make me whole. Just speak Your word and I shall be healed. I don’t have to do what everybody else is doing to get my blessing. You are highly exalted above every human reasoning and thinking and You can still bless me Lord. My carnal mind and my human understanding tell me that the only way out is the way that everybody else is taking. But Your ways are much higher than our ways and You are the God of the impossible. Nothing is too hard for You. Let Your perfect peace dwell in my heart and be my resting place. Lord, You know me by my name. I am special to You. I have tried to make it happen by myself, but Lord I can do nothing without You. People have come and gone in my life; I had some heartbreak as they went away because I thought that they were taking away my blessings. But Lord, You will still bless me. I have been so frustrated by trying to make it happen by myself. I have encountered failure after failure. But I don’t want bitterness to dwell in my heart as a result of my frustration. I will keep on worshipping You to keep a clean spirit and a pure heart. My situation seems desperate after thirty eight years of being crippled, but Lord, You will still bless me. You are not ignorant of my pain and I know that You care. Please wipe my tears away and lift me up. One day, those people who have been mocking at me will see me walking in my blessings because Jesus came by. The scoffers will be silenced and God will be glorified in my life. God has never stopped working on my behalf, no matter how bad it may look. His time is coming and He will bless me. I will shut my ears and rebuke the devil in Jesus name when he tells me that it will never happen. God of wonders, I will trust You.”

Thirty eight years of being crippled and not being able to enjoy the feasts of the Lords with his brethren to the fullest. But this time Jesus is going up to Jerusalem to this Jewish festival and something is going to happen. My friend, this is your year of deliverance. It is your day of rejoicing. You will be set free of the bondage of sin, addiction, sickness and oppression. Jesus is coming up for you. “Arise O Lord, and let Your enemies be scattered!” (Numbers 10:35). This year is going to be different because Jesus is on His way for you. You were used to your miserable condition and you did not know that your time of rejoicing has come. You have been living for so long beneath your greatest potential. But Jesus has come to set the captives free and give them blessings to enjoy to the fullest. You will enjoy your blessings and you will celebrate the goodness of the Lord. So lift up your head and start praising God now because He is coming with your blessing. mt