LEST A WORST THING HAPPENS: Devotion for Tuesday September 29, 2015

LEST A WORST THING HAPPENS   Tuesday September 29, 2015

Text: John 5:10 – 16                             Memory verse: v 14

Oral traditions advanced by the Pharisees forbade carrying certain things on the Sabbath (5:10). While Jesus associated the man’s sickness with sin, the story of Job illustrates that this is not always the case (5:14). Jesus was criticized by the Jews on two counts: (1) healing on the Sabbath and (2) claiming equality with God (5:18). 

Jesus revealed that His Father worked on the Sabbath and so Jesus would work as well (5:17). This shows the true meaning of Sabbath—not inactivity but activity to restore and redeem. Jesus identified Himself with the divine worker, and through His work He revealed the nature of God (1:18).

Jesus knew that sin was responsible for the man’s illness and warned him so as to avert re-occurrence. This warning is good for us concerning toying with sin and the devil. We must be careful not to fall back to sin because we may not have the opportunity to repent again (Hebrews 6:4 – 6).

Food for Thought: Hebrews 10:29

Prayer: Lord, grant me the grace never to go back to sin again in Jesus name.  

I HAVE NO MAN: Devotion for Monday September 28, 2015

I HAVE NO MAN     Monday September 28, 2015

Text: John 5:1 – 9     Memory verse: v 7

This feast (5:1) was not specified. The pool of Bethesda (5:2) was located just north of the temple area near the Sheep Gate (Nehemiah 3:32) and may have been used for washing sheep before Passover sacrifices. John 5:4 clarifies why there were so many ill people gathered around the pool and the reason behind the sick man’s words in 5:7. The question in 5:6 was geared to encourage an expression of the man’s desire, not his faith because Jesus wanted to provide a highly visible sign on the Sabbath (5:9). He also wanted to provoke the dialogue with the Jewish leaders concerning what should be allowed on the Sabbath day (5:10 – 47).

When this sick man said “I have no man,” he was thinking of the means of healing in that lake but Jesus knew what to do. Many a time, we preempt God’s way of healing. Some of us by our actions and words say “We have no help.” God is our helper. We should look up to Him for whatever we need, be it job, fruit of the womb, a life partner, etc. A Christian saying I have no man belittles God. One with God is said to be majority. With God you will get that desired job, car, house, child etc, in Jesus name.

Food for Thought: God is the helper of the helpless.

Prayer: God, help me out of my needs for you are the helper I have.