Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. (John 5:2-9)

Does the question Jesus asked the man at Bethesda surprise you? Shouldn’t the answer be obvious?  This man has suffered for nearly 40 years, surely he wanted to be healed!

The man was likely as surprised by Jesus’ question as we were. Rather than answer the question, he began to make excuses and we can almost hear the sarcasm in his voice – “Of course I want to be healed, if I didn’t I wouldn’t keep coming back here year after year.  You don’t seem to understand my circumstances.  Look at me.  I’m crippled, it’s a long way down to the pool, and there are all these other people who can move a lot faster than I can.”

The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” (John 5:7)

Almost as if he didn’t hear the man, Jesus pressed on.

Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” (John 5:8)

Like the crippled man, we get it into our minds that God’s power is limited by our circumstances. That’s wrong thinking. Even when our faith fails, God does not.  Look closely at the sequence in the next verse.

And at once the man was healed, and (then) he took up his bed and walked. (John 5:9)

Throughout His ministry, Jesus asked many “Do You” questions.  The questions He asked in ages past are relevant for us today.  They are questions that each of us must answer for ourselves.

When we need faith

“But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15)

“Why do you question these things in your hearts?” (Mark 2:8)

When we need help

“What do you want me to do for you?” (Matthew 20:32)

“Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28)

When we need answers

“Do you not understand?” (Mark 4:13)

“Whom do you seek?” (John 18:4)

Every day

“ do you love me more than these?” (John 21:15)

Thinking back on all the “do you” questions Jesus has asked me through the years, I realize how often I gave excuses instead of answers.  Like the man in these passages, there have been many times that I was crippled by past experiences and overcome by present circumstances; there still are.  I’m so glad that God is not a God of circumstances, aren’t you?

Copyright ©️ 2019 Sandra Bivens Smith

Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” (John 18:38a)

In the 1950s and 1960s there was a popular game show called “To Tell The Truth”.  The show featured a team of challengers which included a central character who had an unusual job or had experienced some unusual event.  The central character was accompanied by two imposters.  A panel of four celebrities asked questions of the challengers and from the answers would try to determine who was telling the truth (only the true character was sworn to tell the truth).  Once the questioning was finished, each panelist voted for who they believed was telling the truth.  At the end, the host would say “will the real [central character’s name] please stand up”.

Truth doesn’t seem to be valued much any more.  Webster’s defines truth as “conformity to fact or reality”.  In a world of relativity, circumstantial absolutes, and perceptional reality, how can we know for certain what is truth?

LOOK TO THE ONE WHOSE NAME IS TRUTH.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  (John 14:6)

Federal agents don’t learn to spot counterfeit money by studying the counterfeits, they study the real thing.  By learning what true currency looks like, they can recognize fake bills when they see them.  Likewise, if we want to know what is truth, we must get to know the real thing.

SEARCH GOD’S WORD FOR TRUTH.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (John 16:13)

Finding someone willing to give advice on whatever situation is seldom a problem.  The life events and experiences shared by our brothers and sisters in Christ can help us through difficult times.  But, we have to remember that God’s word is the final authority, the Holy Spirit is our great Counselor.  We have to be careful to test the words of man against the word of God.

FOLLOW TRUTH.

Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. (Psalms 25:4-5)

After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. (John 18:38)

We see in the above passages the words of two men seemingly seeking the same thing – truth.  The Psalmist was willing to wait on God.  He wanted to understand the ways of truth.  He was eager to learn and to follow.  Pilate asked the question, then walked away.  Pilate understood that if he heard the truth, he would be responsible for it and as evidenced in Matthew 27:24, he wasn’t willing to accept it.

I was talking  with someone recently about how noisy the world has become and how the noise of deception comes at us through all forms of media.  Too often we allow the noise of lies to drown out the still small voice of truth; it doesn’t have to be that way.  If we will only look to Him, search Him, and follow Him, we will know the truth.

Copyright ©️ 2014 Sandra Bivens Smith

Because He Lives

God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!

Chorus

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone,
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he brings;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!

And then one day, I’ll cross the river,
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to victory,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives!

His grace is great enough to meet the great things
The crashing waves that overwhelm the soul,
The roaring winds that leave us stunned and breathless,
The sudden storm beyond our life’s control.
His grace is great enough to meet the small things
The little pin-prick troubles that annoy,
The insect worries, buzzing and persistent,
The squeaking wheels that grate upon our joy.
— Annie Johnson Flint

There is always a large balance to our credit in the bank of Heaven waiting for our exercise of faith in drawing it. Draw heavily upon His resources.

I will run in the way of your commandments when You enlarge my heart! (Psalms 119:32)

What a promise these words hold!  What encouragement and hope they offer.

“But Lord”we ask,  “how will I run the course”?  How was it that Paul was able to say “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7)?

It is by this – When (after, because, inasmuch as, since) The Lord has enlarged (broadened, opened wide, made room in) our hearts, we are able to live according to all He commands of us.

• His word will enlarge my heart – through the testimony of His word our faith grows stronger.
• His Spirit will enlarge my heart – by the testimony of His Spirit, our understanding grows deeper.
• His works will enlarge my heart – through the wonder of His works, our worship grows richer.

It is not by our own words, or will, or works that our hearts grow wider and stronger, it is only by the word, the Spirit and the work of Jesus Christ.

I get so tired of trying and failing, don’t you? That’s the point. In our own strength it is impossible, but with Christ, all things are possible. By the love, grace and mercies of God, we can say with confidence “I will run in the way of His commandments”.

Copyright ©️ Sandra Bivens Smith 2016 all rights reserved

Immutable doesn’t simply mean that something is unchangeable or unalterable, it means that the thing is incapable of changing. Therefore, not only is God’s holiness never changing, it cannot change!

God’s glory and His holiness are inseparable; His holiness reveals his glory.  In his commentary on Psalm 29:2, John Gill wrote: “holiness is the beauty of God himself, he is glorious in it”.  To say that God is holy, is not merely to describe His character, God’s holiness defines His person. 

We hear it all the time concerning God’s word, “that was then, times have changed so those commands aren’t relevant to today.”

Because God’s holiness is immutable, we can know that His word is immutable as well.How can we know?  God’s holiness, along with all of His attributes, His Love, His Truth, His Justice – (all these and more) are not what God is, but Who God is and as the Bible tells us, God cannot deny Himself.

 In a world where things are changing daily and uncertainty is a fact of life, we can and should take much comfort from God’s immutability.  Because He is immutable, we never need to wonder or worry that God will change His mind; that what we believe in today could be different tomorrow.  God’s immutability is the reflection of His faithfulness.  If He has said it, we can count on it. 

Scripture tells us that He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  That means that even when we fall short of God’s glory, and we will, He is faithful to His word.

Excerpt from “Knowing the God of the Old Testament “ ©️ 2020 Sandra Bivens Smith. All rights reserved.

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.  [Philippians 4:19]

I’m a little worried about myself this morning. As I prepared to write in my journal just finding my pencil became a major project. I looked in the bottom of the bag where I keep my journaling “supplies” and while there I came across an eraser. Pretty sure that I would need it, I went ahead and took it out of the bag. I also removed my journal – I knew I would need that; and then I laid the bag to the side.

As I opened my journal and started to write, I realized there was a problem – the only instrument in my hand was a yellow eraser! This meant that another expedition through the bag was in my future.

Eventually I found the pencil but admit there were flashes of doubt. For a moment, I thought this was going to be a blue pen kind of morning (a blue pen is my optional writing tool. Although not my favorite thing to write with, I have found that it does work better than a yellow eraser).

Life. sometimes we find what we need before we need it. Sometimes we have to ingnore what’s at hand and keep going until we find what we’re looking for. And sometimes, we have to write with a blue pen.

Copyright ©️ 2010 Sandra Bivens Smith. All rights reserved.

Fractured families. Crippling financial debt. Political strife. Rampant violence and immorality. Scuffling economies. Countries in turmoil. Unstable job security and an unemployment epidemic. Widespread hunger. Catastrophic weather events. Poor health. Uncertain futures. Religious persecution. In almost any direction you look today, there is some issue that could cause you to worry.

We live under a constant tidal wave of bad news—that shouldn’t be a surprise in such a sinful world. But in light of that bad news, it’s easy to sometimes forget or ignore Paul’s command to “be anxious for nothing” (Philippians 4:6).

The potential for anxiety multiplies exponentially if you’ve got children or grandchildren. What kind of world will we leave behind for them? What kind of religious persecution will they live under? What opportunities will they have, and how will they pay for the mistakes of previous generations?

It’s enough to keep you awake at night.

However, that’s not what the Lord wants. Believers’ lives are not meant to be filled with sleepless nights, panic attacks, and crippling anxiety. We know God is in sovereign control of even the smallest details, and we should rest in His constant care for His people.

We know that, but how often do we live it out? Over the coming weeks, we’re going to look at practical ways to conquer anxiety and trust in God through even the most dire circumstances.

For now, we want to hear from you. What causes you anxiety? What causes you to lose sight—even temporarily—of God’s sovereign control and care? And what do you do about it?

This devotion is from a series that originally appeared on the GTY website Copyright 2012, Grace to You. All rights reserved. Used by permission.”

I wait for you more eagerly than a soldier on guard duty waits for the dawn. Yes, I wait more eagerly than a soldier on guard duty waits for the dawn.  Psalms 130:6

I don’t know what its like to be a soldier on guard duty but I do know what it’s like to be eager for the dawn; you probably do too. You know, the hours between midnight and 5:00 AM when you can’t sleep?  You watch the clock.  The seconds seem to tic by one by one as you lie there waiting for the alarm to ring so you can get out of that bed.

I think one of the hardest things to do as a Christian is to wait on God.  Let’s face it, most of us live our lives in fast forward. When we call out to God we want Him to answer us – NOW.  Like the soldier on watch or our sleepless nights, we are eager for the dawn to come.

Have you ever had to wait on God ?

Have you ever…

• Gone through a crisis with a friend?
• Sat by the bed of a sick child?
• Had more bills than money?
• Prayed for a loved one to come to Christ?

I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God. (Psalms 69:3)

Have you felt like the dawn was never going to come? The darkness lingered so long that your mind and body wanted to give up and you didn’t know how you could make one more day? And still, God said “wait”.

But when I hoped for good, evil came, and when I waited for light, darkness came. (Job 30:26)

These are the times when the only thing left to do is cry out to God – “I surrender this to You”.  “Please, LORD, take this from me”.  “LORD, I can’t do this”.

“  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)

Then suddenly, miraculously, even unexpectedly, the dawn breaks. The new day comes. The light shines through the darkness.

Even if…

• Your friend is still in crisis
• Your child is still sick
• There is still not enough money
• Your loved one is still lost

…you can have hope because you’ve put your trust in the One who is able.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)

Waiting is hard. I won’t pretend it’s easy to wait on God, we all know that it’s not.  Sometimes the wait seems to go on so long that we begin to wonder if God has forgotten us.  He hasn’t.  God’s love, grace and mercy never fail.

Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.  (Isaiah 30:18)

Testing is hard. When God says wait, when your faith is being tested, remember…

• God is ever-present (Deuteronomy 31:6)
• God is for you (Romans 8:31)
• God is love (1 John 4:16)
• God never fails (Lamentations 3:22)
• In Him is yes and amen (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Trusting is hard.  When we’re down in a valley, and all we can see are mountains that we can’t climb, all we want is out. God sees beyond the mountain. He sees eternity – past, present, and future.  God knows what he’s doing.

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)

Copyright ©️ 2014 Sandra Bivens Smith. All rights reserved.

Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! (Psalms 107:21)

Complain.  Complain.  Complain.

Who doesn’t love a good pity party?  But, I have to admit, sometimes I get on my own nerves from all my complaining.

For just a few moments, let’s lay aside our complaints and think about some things we have to be thankful for.  I’ll go first.

“Lord, thank You”–

• You saved my soul.
• You gave me Your word to guide and encourage me on the way.
• You meet my every need – physical, emotional, spiritual.
• You hear my prayers – my prayers for others as well as their prayers for me.
• You receive me into your presence – to worship, to praise, even to hear my complaints.
• You have filled my life with family and friends who love and care for me .
• You give me strength for the demands of life.

I offer this brief list fully understanding how inadequate it is.  There is not enough space on the world wide web nor enough time in eternity to name all the ways the Lord has blessed me.  No list can ever be complete, for God’s mercies are new every morning.

I love to quote my parents. After all these years I have finally come to see how wise they were. Growing up, when one of us kids wanted to complain, (yes, my complaining goes way back), Daddy would say “no matter how bad off you think you are, you can always find someone who is worse off than you”.

Daddy was right but it is our Heavenly Father who gives us the true antidote to our complaining nature – it is a daily dose of thankfulness. The cure for complaining is day-in and day-out giving praise to God for His steadfast love and wondrous works.

I’ve shared my thankfulness list. Now, your turn.

“Lord, thank You”–

Copyright ©️ 2016 Sandra Bivens Smith. All rights reserved.