The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 16 August 2021 – TOPIC: YOUR STORY WILL CHANGE!
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TOPIC: YOUR STORY WILL CHANGE!*READ: JOHN 5:1- 15 (NKJV)1. After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.2. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep [Gate] a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.3. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.4. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.5. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.6. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been [in that condition] a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”7. The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”8. Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”9. And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.10. The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry [your] bed.”11. He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ “12. Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?”13. But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in [that] place.14. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”15. The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.*THE MESSAGE:* The central focus of our text today is the story of a certain man who had infirmity for a period of thirty eight years. He had waited in vain to have an opportunity to get to the water each time it was stirred by angels. The harder he tried, the more he failed. To make matters worse, there was no one to help him. He was hopeless, helpless and frustrated. The pool, according to our text, was called Bethesda, which simply means House of Mercy. He was in the House of Mercy expecting to receive mercy, yet for thirty eight years, no mercy came. Suddenly, Jesus appeared on the scene and his story changed! The story of frustration changed to a story of the goodness of God (verse 11).This story shows clearly God’s power to intervene and help in desperate situations and conditions. You may have waited long in the House of Mercy and may have witnessed others receiving mercy, yet yours has not come. God is interested and wants to use your situation to glorify His name. When He visits, the opinion of men will not matter. The long expected miracle will happen and your story will change.*PRAYER:* O Lord, intervene in my situation and change my story that Your name may be glorified in my life. Amen!