ARISE

Suggested Reading: John 5

(click scripture link to read online)

In the Old City of Jerusalem are the ruins of the Pool of Bethesda. This is where Jesus healed the paralytic man who had been waiting for his healing for 38 years (John 5:1-15). Here you can also see ruins of a Roman temple to the god of medicine and the remains of a Byzantine church built over the temple.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: John 5:24

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

In yesterday’s reading we move from “PERISHING” to “EVERLASTING LIFE.” Today, Jesus teaches that by believing we move from “DEATH INTO LIFE.” Seven times in John 3, 4, & 5 Jesus repeats His eternal or everlasting life promise. He really wants us to know the facts about our future as believers in Him. Since the sin of our first parents, we, as a human family, have moved in the opposite direction. We’ve gone from life to death. But in Jesus, that direction of destruction has been reversed, both in this life and in the hereafter. The example of the man with the 38-year-long infirmity shows us the “DEATH INTO LIFE” principle at work in our physical bodies in the here and now. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day failed to understand that Jesus came to turn what was the normal process around 180 degrees. By believing in Jesus, the new normal is “LIFE.”

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, I believe in You. I give You my entire life for both time and eternity. I believe You for the healing of my body, my soul and my spirit, a complete turn around from death to life. Please continue to give me the gift of faith to believe, 24/7, that this is a fact and that nothing will ever change this fact. This assurance fills me with joy. Thank You, Jesus! Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I know the power of Jesus’ life in my physical healing. I’ve shared the story before of my miracle when I was 19. I also know of Jesus’ healing power in others. Marina Cooper, of the northern city of Sudbury, called her pastor, me, to come to the hospital and pray for her newborn son. I’ll never forget putting my hands in the gloves of the incubator and laying them on the child who was born with a hole in his heart. The very next day, I received a call that the hole had closed and her baby’s heart was perfect. Jesus promised that these signs would follow them that believe. He said, “…they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover” (Mark 16:18b).

Last night I picked up a copy of Newsweek magazine from October 15th, 2012. On the cover it reads, “A Doctor’s Experience Of The Afterlife.” The article shares that during the entire seven days of his coma, his cortex was completely shut down and he was under intense medical observation. I’ll quote just a little of what he experienced, “…a sound, huge and booming like a glorious chant, came down from above, and I wondered if the winged beings were producing it.” This out-of-body experience has often been described by others. But here is a major secular news magazine reporting the facts regarding a neurosurgeon’s near death-to-life happening. For some reason I have begun to sing words from one of the children’s songs from the GodRocks ministry, “Not a doubt! Check it out! Better believe it!” My eldest daughter, Elaine, and her husband Bruce Stacey have established this ministry and given me tee shirts with those words on them, as well as another line from the same song, “Not ashamed to shout it!” I encourage you to check them out by clicking here (I mentioned the ministry of my other daughter and her husband two days ago, and I’ve told my kids through the years that I will always treat them all the same).

Yours for believing,

David

P.S. GodRocks is also featured on a new Saturday morning kids’ program called, “Rock Kids TV” on CTS at 8:00 am every Saturday morning. For a sample of one of their animated video songs click here. You can check for the availability of CTS in your area by clicking here.