speaker and director for
the Breath of Life television
00:00:03.60\00:00:06.13
ministry, and senior pastor
here at the Oakwood University
00:00:06.17\00:00:09.24
Church, in Huntsville, Alabama,
for a very special taping of
00:00:09.27\00:00:12.84
the nationally syndicated
program. On January 30, 2016,
00:00:12.87\00:00:16.98
right here at Oakwood University
Church, Breath of Life
00:00:17.01\00:00:20.22
will be recording an
Easter special. It's going to be
00:00:20.25\00:00:22.88
aired on the ABC television
network, featuring a message
00:00:22.92\00:00:26.45
from Dr. Byrd, with musical
guests, Grammy award-winning
00:00:26.49\00:00:30.09
songbird CeCe Wynans;
violinist Jaime Jorge; and the
00:00:30.13\00:00:34.73
internationally renowned Oakwood
University Aeolian Concert
00:00:34.73\00:00:39.03
Choir. We'll see you in
your Easter finest, right here,
00:00:39.07\00:00:42.20
January 30, 2016, at
11 o'clock in the morning,
00:00:42.24\00:00:46.04
right here at the
Oakwood University Church.
00:00:46.07\00:00:48.58
This is your personal
invitation to be part of
00:00:48.61\00:00:52.01
this special
broadcast. For more information,
00:00:52.05\00:00:55.05
this is our
website: www.BreathofLife.TV.
00:00:55.08\00:00:59.82
PB:  John chapter 5,
verse number 1, the Word of
00:00:59.85\00:01:05.03
God says to us in
this passage of Scripture,
00:01:05.06\00:01:07.93
the story that's very
familiar to most of us if
00:01:07.96\00:01:10.80
not all of us. "After
this there was a feast of
00:01:10.83\00:01:14.24
the Jews; and Jesus
went up to Jerusalem.
00:01:14.27\00:01:17.37
Now there is at
Jerusalem by the sheep market
00:01:17.41\00:01:20.31
a pool, which is called in
the Hebrew tongue Bethesda.
00:01:20.34\00:01:24.25
" Everybody say
Bethesda. Aud.:  Bethesda.
00:01:24.28\00:01:26.01
PB:  Say it like you
mean it, say Bethesda.
00:01:26.05\00:01:28.12
Aud.:  Bethesda.   PB:
 "Having five porches."
00:01:28.15\00:01:29.98
How many porches,
everybody? Aud.:  Five.
00:01:30.02\00:01:31.45
PB:  "In these lay a
great multitude of impotent
00:01:31.49\00:01:33.76
folk, of blind, halt,
withered, waiting for the
00:01:33.79\00:01:37.03
moving of the water.
For an angel went down at a
00:01:37.06\00:01:39.83
certain season into the
pool, and troubled the water:
00:01:39.86\00:01:42.16
whosoever then first
after the troubling of the water
00:01:42.20\00:01:44.57
stepped in was made whole
of whatsoever disease he had.
00:01:44.60\00:01:49.64
And a certain man was
there, which had an infirmity
00:01:49.67\00:01:53.48
thirty and eight
years. When Jesus saw him lie,
00:01:53.51\00:01:58.05
and knew that he had been
now a long time in that case,
00:01:58.08\00:02:00.52
he saith unto him,
Wilt thou be made whole?
00:02:00.55\00:02:05.75
The impotent man answered
him, Sir, I have no man,
00:02:05.79\00:02:09.32
when the water is troubled,
to put me into the pool:
00:02:09.36\00:02:14.96
but while I am coming,
another steppeth down before me.
00:02:15.00\00:02:19.80
Jesus saith unto him,
Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
00:02:19.83\00:02:28.91
And immediately," the Bible
says, "the man was made whole,
00:02:28.94\00:02:33.08
and took up his bed,
and walked: and on the
00:02:33.11\00:02:36.35
same day was the sabbath."
00:02:36.38\00:02:40.49
Father, bless us now,
as we preach Your Word to
00:02:40.52\00:02:43.09
Your people. May Your
Holy Spirit move in the aisles
00:02:43.12\00:02:45.93
today and may Your
anointing make the difference.
00:02:45.96\00:02:49.83
I am just flesh and
blood but Lord, I yield my all
00:02:49.86\00:02:54.74
to You today. By
Your Spirit, reach, touch,
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grab and arrest Your
people. Forgive us for
00:03:00.24\00:03:03.68
our sins, we pray.
In the name of Jesus.
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Let everyone say
amen.   Aud.: Amen.
00:03:05.45\00:03:07.85
PB:  Amen. Today, no
more excuses. In the text,
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Jesus has just traveled
from Galilee to Jerusalem
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in order to celebrate one
of the great religious feasts.
00:03:15.86\00:03:18.33
Now, if you read the
Bible carefully - because you've
00:03:18.36\00:03:20.10
read the story over
and over and over again -
00:03:20.13\00:03:21.80
the Bible does not tell
us which religious feast.
00:03:21.83\00:03:25.97
So we don't know if
it's Passover. We don't know
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what it is. It just says
a feast. Before He gets to
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Jerusalem, however,
Jesus has shown His power by
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turning water into
wine. He has shocked people by
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converting Samaritans,
and the Bible says He's fed
00:03:38.75\00:03:42.12
5,000 with two fish
and five loaves of bread.
00:03:42.15\00:03:45.72
So then, Jesus has been
Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Rapha,
00:03:45.75\00:03:49.19
and Jehovah Nissa, all
in one. Word of this has
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reached Jerusalem so
His reputation is spreading,
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and you'd have to say
that right about now He's at
00:03:57.67\00:04:00.80
the peak of His popularity.
Now, when Jesus gets to
00:04:00.84\00:04:06.44
Jerusalem, when He
arrives in Jerusalem, the Bible
00:04:06.47\00:04:09.44
says He comes to the
pool of Bethesda. Now, if you
00:04:09.48\00:04:15.18
read your Bible carefully
- you've read it before -
00:04:15.22\00:04:17.55
this verse makes no mention
of any medical equipment.
00:04:17.59\00:04:23.02
No doctors, no
nurses, no medical care staff.
00:04:23.06\00:04:29.30
Just five porches
called Bethesda, where hundreds
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of blind, crippled, paralyzed
and sick people would lie.
00:04:34.27\00:04:40.48
Now, why do they lie
around the pool? The pool was
00:04:40.51\00:04:44.21
known to having
healing power at certain times,
00:04:44.25\00:04:47.98
which is why the
pool is called Bethesda,
00:04:48.02\00:04:51.19
because Bethesda
literally means "the house of
00:04:51.22\00:04:54.39
mercy" or "the house
of healing." Bethesda is a
00:04:54.42\00:04:58.06
good name for this
pool, because the people who
00:04:58.09\00:05:01.03
are waiting around the
pool have been told that
00:05:01.06\00:05:03.47
every now and then an
angel would come and trouble
00:05:03.50\00:05:07.50
the water of the pool,
and the first person to
00:05:07.54\00:05:10.74
enter into the pool
after the stirring of the angel
00:05:10.77\00:05:13.41
would be healed. Now,
let's be clear. Bethesda
00:05:13.44\00:05:18.51
could not heal while
it was still and quiet.
00:05:18.55\00:05:22.28
Bethesda had to be troubled
in order to bless and heal.
00:05:22.32\00:05:28.29
The practical application
is this. I know it's hard,
00:05:28.32\00:05:31.76
but somebody ought to
thank God for their trouble,
00:05:31.79\00:05:34.93
because healing
comes out of brokenness.
00:05:34.96\00:05:38.03
Breakthroughs follow
breakdowns. Setbacks are just
00:05:38.07\00:05:42.87
setups for comebacks. Salvation
is raised out of trouble.
00:05:42.90\00:05:47.54
You have to break a
seed before a seed grows;
00:05:47.58\00:05:50.85
you have to crush a
rose petal before it gives
00:05:50.88\00:05:53.35
off perfume; you have to
irritate an oyster before
00:05:53.38\00:05:56.22
it becomes a pearl.
Sometimes God will allow trouble
00:05:56.25\00:06:00.99
to come on us and afflictions
to come on us to allow
00:06:01.02\00:06:04.69
the best to come up out
of us, because the worse it
00:06:04.73\00:06:08.30
gets the better God
works. Unless you shake a bottle
00:06:08.33\00:06:13.87
of orange juice, its concentrate
will fall to the bottom
00:06:13.90\00:06:17.81
and you will have nothing
to drink but colored water.
00:06:17.84\00:06:20.88
Unless you shake a bottle
of medicine, all the healing
00:06:20.91\00:06:24.98
substance will gather at
the bottom and what is left will
00:06:25.01\00:06:28.42
take no effect. That's why
you're told before you take
00:06:28.45\00:06:31.65
medicine, shake it
before you take it.
00:06:31.69\00:06:34.86
And that's the way it
is with us. We can come in
00:06:34.89\00:06:38.19
here cool, calm and collected
all we want every Sabbath,
00:06:38.23\00:06:41.90
but unless we are stirred
up, unless we are shaken up,
00:06:41.93\00:06:47.30
our gifts will fall to
the bottom of our lives and we
00:06:47.34\00:06:51.44
will be dead and dry,
unmoved and unchallenged,
00:06:51.47\00:06:53.88
unstirred and unchanged.
Sometimes it's necessary
00:06:53.91\00:06:58.88
for the waters in our
lives to be troubled so
00:06:58.91\00:07:02.35
that we might move
higher in the Lord.
00:07:02.38\00:07:05.02
Bethesda is just a
construction of five
00:07:05.05\00:07:09.56
porches until the angel
of God troubles the water.
00:07:09.59\00:07:15.00
The porches are
nothing without the pool.
00:07:15.03\00:07:18.23
The pool is
nothing without the water,
00:07:18.27\00:07:20.84
and the water is
nothing until God touches
00:07:20.87\00:07:23.97
the water. What is
the translation? We are
00:07:24.01\00:07:26.78
nothing without God.
The medicine you take is
00:07:26.81\00:07:30.51
nothing unless God
blesses the medicine.
00:07:30.55\00:07:32.98
The doctor is nothing
unless God uses the doctor.
00:07:33.01\00:07:36.05
The teacher or the
professor is nothing unless God
00:07:36.08\00:07:39.32
directs the teacher. The
student is nothing unless
00:07:39.35\00:07:42.59
God directs the student.
The church is nothing unless
00:07:42.62\00:07:47.96
God visits his church.
The preacher, Pastor Byrd,
00:07:48.00\00:07:51.30
is nothing unless God
puts words in the mouth of
00:07:51.33\00:07:54.90
the preacher, Holy Ghost
in the heart of the preacher,
00:07:54.94\00:07:57.74
life in the soul of the
preacher and fire shut up in
00:07:57.77\00:08:02.41
the bones of the preacher.
The Bible says the sick
00:08:02.44\00:08:06.11
man had been at Bethesda 38
years. Everybody say 38 years.
00:08:06.15\00:08:10.95
Aud.:  38 years.   
PB:  Now, let's be honest.
00:08:10.99\00:08:12.99
Thirty-eight years is
a long time to be sick.
00:08:13.02\00:08:16.93
Thirty-eight years is a
long time sitting on your mat.
00:08:16.96\00:08:21.33
Every day is the same,
waiting, watching, hoping,
00:08:21.36\00:08:25.43
looking. No change,
just sitting on your mat,
00:08:25.47\00:08:30.11
waiting for something
to happen in your life.
00:08:30.14\00:08:32.77
But the man's not interested
in making something happen;
00:08:32.81\00:08:36.78
he's waiting for somebody to
make something happen for him.
00:08:36.81\00:08:41.68
His mat has become his way
of life. His life is stagnant;
00:08:41.72\00:08:45.12
his life is dull; his life
is dormant; his life is still.
00:08:45.15\00:08:49.49
The waters in his life have
not been troubled. There has
00:08:49.52\00:08:53.13
been no change, just
the same ol', same ol'.
00:08:53.16\00:08:57.47
But there comes a
time in your life when you
00:08:57.50\00:09:01.14
can't wait for
change, but you've got to make
00:09:01.17\00:09:04.14
change happen. Do I
have a witness in this place?
00:09:04.17\00:09:06.91
You see, Sir Isaac
Newton's First Law of Motion
00:09:06.94\00:09:10.15
states that everything
continues in a state of
00:09:10.18\00:09:13.75
rest until it is
compelled to change by forces
00:09:13.78\00:09:16.65
impressed upon it.
Which means, you have to
00:09:16.69\00:09:19.59
recognize within
yourself the need for change.
00:09:19.62\00:09:23.02
I can't make it
happen for you; you've got to
00:09:23.06\00:09:25.26
learn to make it
happen sometimes for yourself.
00:09:25.29\00:09:27.50
You will never see
new oceans unless you have
00:09:27.50\00:09:29.86
the courage to lose
sight of the shore. I don't
00:09:29.90\00:09:32.27
know about you, but Carlton
Byrd can't wait 30 years.
00:09:32.30\00:09:35.90
I've got to do something
now. Tomorrow is not promised.
00:09:35.94\00:09:40.38
I've got to do something
now. My hair is getting
00:09:40.41\00:09:44.21
shorter and more gray.
I've got to do something now.
00:09:44.25\00:09:48.28
The final movements in earth's
history will be rapid ones;
00:09:48.32\00:09:51.55
I've got to do
something now. One of my famous
00:09:51.59\00:09:54.46
quotes that I love so
much is by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
00:09:54.49\00:09:57.56
He says, "Don't go
where the path may lead,
00:09:57.59\00:09:59.89
but go instead where there
is no path and leave a trail."
00:09:59.93\00:10:03.80
Jesus comes up to the
man. Now, understand when
00:10:03.83\00:10:09.34
you read the text:
neither, the Bible says,
00:10:09.37\00:10:12.41
the nature of the
man's disease, other than it
00:10:12.44\00:10:14.84
rendered him unable to
walk; nor does the Bible
00:10:14.88\00:10:17.38
say why Jesus chose
to heal this man when He
00:10:17.41\00:10:21.42
could have healed countless
others who were around the pool.
00:10:21.45\00:10:25.62
Why did Jesus choose
to heal this man? But the
00:10:25.65\00:10:29.89
one thing we do know
is that it was not because
00:10:29.92\00:10:32.73
the man sought Jesus' help
that Jesus went to the man.
00:10:32.76\00:10:36.87
In fact, despite
Jesus' popularity, the man at
00:10:36.90\00:10:40.84
Bethesda didn't
even know who Jesus was.
00:10:40.87\00:10:44.67
Ellen White says
in "Desire of Ages,"
00:10:44.71\00:10:46.88
"Jesus saw one of
supreme wretchedness."
00:10:46.91\00:10:52.48
Jesus comes up to
the man, "Wilt thou be
00:10:52.51\00:10:57.32
made whole?" In
other words, do you want to
00:10:57.35\00:11:01.26
be made well? Do
you want to be changed?
00:11:01.29\00:11:05.36
Now on the surface
that seems like a foolish
00:11:05.39\00:11:07.96
question to ask a
man who hasn't walked
00:11:08.00\00:11:10.13
in 38 years: do you
want to be made well.
00:11:10.17\00:11:12.47
It's like me
walking up to somebody and
00:11:12.50\00:11:14.70
asking them, Do you
want to be cancer free?
00:11:14.74\00:11:17.57
I mean, doesn't a
starving person want food?
00:11:17.61\00:11:20.28
Doesn't a broke
person want money? Doesn't a
00:11:20.31\00:11:22.91
drug addict want
to be clean? Doesn't a
00:11:22.94\00:11:25.41
condemned person
want pardon? Doesn't an
00:11:25.45\00:11:27.55
incarcerated person
want freedom? Doesn't
00:11:27.58\00:11:29.58
a person who's making
an F want an A? Doesn't'
00:11:29.62\00:11:33.79
a sick person want
to be healed? But Jesus
00:11:33.82\00:11:42.33
never asked a
foolish question in His life.
00:11:42.36\00:11:46.33
Because whenever God
says something that seems
00:11:46.37\00:11:48.14
to be foolish, you
know immediately it has to
00:11:48.17\00:11:50.37
be wise because God
takes the foolishness of
00:11:50.41\00:11:52.61
this world and
confounds the wise, so it must
00:11:52.64\00:11:54.54
be something wise
about the question because
00:11:54.58\00:11:56.34
God is too wise to be foolish.
00:11:56.38\00:11:59.58
Wilt thou be made
whole? Do you want to be
00:11:59.61\00:12:05.92
made well? But here
now come the excuses.
00:12:05.95\00:12:11.19
Sir, I have nobody
to put me in the water.
00:12:11.23\00:12:16.20
Every time I try to
get in the water, somebody
00:12:16.23\00:12:21.00
gets in my way and I
can't get in the pool.
00:12:21.04\00:12:25.54
I could have been
healed a long time ago,
00:12:25.57\00:12:29.01
but nobody was there
for me. Notice, in this
00:12:29.04\00:12:34.35
man's answer, he
doesn't answer Jesus' question.
00:12:34.38\00:12:38.49
He doesn't say if he
wants to be made well,
00:12:38.52\00:12:41.92
he dismisses Jesus'
question and complains
00:12:41.96\00:12:45.03
about his condition,
offering a laundry list
00:12:45.06\00:12:47.50
of excuses. I'm sick.
I'm lame. I can't walk.
00:12:47.50\00:12:53.84
I can't move. I'm
handicapped. I'm disabled.
00:12:53.87\00:12:58.87
I'm too slow. I'm not
fast enough. I have no friends.
00:12:58.91\00:13:03.65
I have no family. I'm
too old. I'm too young.
00:13:03.68\00:13:07.85
I have nobody to put
me in the pool when the
00:13:07.88\00:13:10.39
water is stirred up.
But I have a fundamental
00:13:10.42\00:13:14.56
problem with his
answer and his statement,
00:13:14.59\00:13:17.03
because everybody
around the pool is sick,
00:13:17.06\00:13:20.00
and how can somebody
who's sick get healing
00:13:20.03\00:13:22.40
from somebody else
who's sick? Because if
00:13:22.43\00:13:24.67
you're around sick
people long enough,
00:13:24.70\00:13:27.34
you'll start
getting sick. Somebody's
00:13:27.37\00:13:31.01
still not getting
this. If you hang around,
00:13:31.04\00:13:34.64
talk to, roll
with depressed people,
00:13:34.68\00:13:41.52
you'll start
being depressed. If you
00:13:41.55\00:13:45.09
hang with negative
people, you'll start
00:13:45.12\00:13:48.46
being negative. If you
run with gossiping people,
00:13:48.49\00:13:51.76
you'll start being a
gossip. If you associate
00:13:51.79\00:13:55.80
with godless people, you
will start being godless,
00:13:55.83\00:13:59.63
because birds of a
feather flock together.
00:13:59.67\00:14:03.97
I don't know
about you, but I want to
00:14:04.01\00:14:07.34
surround myself
with positive people.
00:14:07.38\00:14:09.84
I can do bad by
myself. I want my self
00:14:09.88\00:14:14.15
to be
surrounded by godly people,
00:14:14.18\00:14:16.85
Christ-like
people, prayerful people,
00:14:16.89\00:14:20.16
faithful people,
visionary people,
00:14:20.19\00:14:23.93
smart people.
You've got to be around
00:14:23.96\00:14:27.36
people who are
talking about stuff you
00:14:27.40\00:14:28.86
don't understand, so
you can learn something
00:14:28.90\00:14:30.63
yourself. I told
my children, if you're
00:14:30.67\00:14:33.07
always the smartest
student in the class,
00:14:33.10\00:14:34.64
then you've
outgrown your classroom.
00:14:34.67\00:14:36.87
If you're always
the brightest apple
00:14:36.91\00:14:38.77
in the bunch, then
your bunch is too small.
00:14:38.81\00:14:40.84
If you're always the
teacher in your circle,
00:14:40.88\00:14:42.51
then your circle is
too small. If everybody
00:14:42.54\00:14:44.58
in your life is
looking to you for help, then
00:14:44.61\00:14:46.51
you need to get some
new folk in your life.
00:14:46.55\00:14:50.09
Don't settle for being a
big fish in a small pond.
00:14:50.12\00:14:57.56
A fish will only
grow to the size of
00:14:57.59\00:15:00.96
the tank it's in. You
put a fish in a small tank,
00:15:00.96\00:15:04.17
it will only grow to
accommodate the environment
00:15:04.20\00:15:06.17
it's in. You want
the fish to be bigger,
00:15:06.20\00:15:07.80
you have to pick
the fish up, pull the
00:15:07.84\00:15:11.64
fish out of the
tank, put it in a
00:15:11.67\00:15:13.48
bigger tank,
because a growing fish
00:15:13.51\00:15:15.58
can't swim in a
tight tank. One of the
00:15:15.61\00:15:18.51
reasons that
hindered this man from
00:15:18.55\00:15:20.52
receiving his
miracle was his company;
00:15:20.55\00:15:23.02
his associations;
his boys; his friends.
00:15:23.05\00:15:27.79
You can't get a
miracle hanging around
00:15:27.82\00:15:29.66
sick people. But
not only that, the man
00:15:29.69\00:15:32.23
whines about life
instead of answering
00:15:32.26\00:15:34.30
Jesus' question
about whether he really
00:15:34.30\00:15:37.00
wants to be well.
Now, what this man is
00:15:37.03\00:15:39.03
doing, in my
opinion, is this: he's living
00:15:39.07\00:15:41.17
in "as soon as"
life. Everybody say,
00:15:41.20\00:15:45.47
"as soon as." Come on,
say it like you mean it.
00:15:45.51\00:15:48.08
Say, as soon as. 
 Aud.:  As soon as.
00:15:48.11\00:15:50.61
PB:  He's living
in as soon as life.
00:15:50.65\00:15:53.25
As soon as I get to
the water my life will
00:15:53.28\00:15:56.99
be better. As soon
as I get in the water,
00:15:57.02\00:16:00.92
my problems will be
fixed. As soon as somebody
00:16:00.96\00:16:05.26
helps me, I'll be
healed. As soon as I graduate,
00:16:05.29\00:16:10.50
I'll then apply for
grad school. As soon as I
00:16:10.53\00:16:14.07
graduate, I'll then
get a job. As soon as the
00:16:14.10\00:16:17.31
new year comes,
I'll stop eating sweets.
00:16:17.34\00:16:20.14
As soon as the new
year starts, I'll start
00:16:20.18\00:16:22.38
exercising. As soon
as midterm exams come,
00:16:22.41\00:16:25.71
that's when I'll
start studying. As soon as
00:16:25.75\00:16:34.99
he grows up, then
he'll stop cheating on me.
00:16:35.02\00:16:40.46
As soon as he gets
by this troubled spot,
00:16:40.50\00:16:45.80
he'll stop hitting me.
As soon as she gets what
00:16:45.83\00:16:50.44
she wants, she'll
stop nagging me. As soon as
00:16:50.47\00:16:56.14
I propose, she'll
start respecting me.
00:16:56.18\00:17:00.82
If she don't
respect you now, baby,
00:17:00.85\00:17:02.92
she ain't going
to respect you later.
00:17:02.95\00:17:05.59
As soon as I get
more money, I'll start
00:17:05.62\00:17:09.66
tithing. As soon
as the time of trouble
00:17:09.69\00:17:16.90
comes, I'll
start going to church.
00:17:16.93\00:17:21.30
As soon as probation
closes, I'll start praying.
00:17:21.34\00:17:29.01
But what are you waiting
for? Time waits for no man.
00:17:29.04\00:17:35.78
Do you want to be
made whole? Do you want
00:17:35.82\00:17:40.29
to be healed? But
there are some folk,
00:17:40.32\00:17:43.09
I'm learning, who
don't want to be healed.
00:17:43.12\00:17:46.06
Some folk want to
hang on to their ailments,
00:17:46.09\00:17:48.20
sicknesses,
illnesses and diseases.
00:17:48.23\00:17:49.93
They like to talk
about what they don't have.
00:17:49.96\00:17:52.60
They like making
excuses. They'd rather
00:17:52.63\00:17:54.84
wallow in the
pits of discouragement,
00:17:54.87\00:17:56.27
discomfort and
despair by indulging in
00:17:56.30\00:17:58.57
pity parties. They
want to be the victim.
00:17:58.61\00:18:02.44
Some people don't
want the responsibility
00:18:02.48\00:18:04.58
of what goes
along with being healed.
00:18:04.61\00:18:06.38
Being sick gives
them an excuse to lie on
00:18:06.41\00:18:09.22
their back and wait
until somebody does it
00:18:09.25\00:18:11.49
for them. For 38
years, this man has been
00:18:11.52\00:18:16.93
a beggar, pleading
for the pity of others.
00:18:16.96\00:18:21.03
But if he's healed,
he'll lose all of this.
00:18:21.06\00:18:24.27
If he's healed, he
will be venturing out
00:18:24.30\00:18:26.33
into the unknown.
If he's healed, he will
00:18:26.37\00:18:28.67
lose all of his
present securities,
00:18:28.70\00:18:30.31
he will have to work and
be responsible for himself.
00:18:30.34\00:18:32.64
He will be entering a
new world if he's healed.
00:18:32.67\00:18:36.31
To be healed meant a
completely new life, one
00:18:36.34\00:18:39.45
with wonderful
possibilities but also with a
00:18:39.48\00:18:41.55
certain amount of
risk. So after 38 years,
00:18:41.58\00:18:45.02
he has accepted his
condition. He was now
00:18:45.05\00:18:48.59
content to scratch
out his pathetic existence
00:18:48.62\00:18:51.69
by begging. Being
paralyzed was a help to him,
00:18:51.73\00:18:56.97
because people felt
sorry for him. If he's healed,
00:18:57.00\00:19:01.77
he's going to have to
work. If he's healed, he's
00:19:01.80\00:19:04.74
going to have to take on
full responsibilities of life.
00:19:04.77\00:19:07.04
Maybe it had become
comfortable for him to hang out
00:19:07.08\00:19:10.78
at the pool, and the
very idea of being healed and
00:19:10.81\00:19:14.38
making his way made him
scared. The fact is, I'm
00:19:14.42\00:19:18.59
learning that some people
will go through extraordinary
00:19:18.62\00:19:20.89
lengths to avoid unwelcome
changes in their lives.
00:19:20.92\00:19:24.66
Their imprisonment is
so great that Jesus asked
00:19:24.69\00:19:27.46
the man, Do you want
to be made well? The man
00:19:27.50\00:19:31.63
doesn't even say yes.
But the man offers excuses.
00:19:31.67\00:19:37.34
And we are just like
the man. We all have our
00:19:37.37\00:19:43.14
excuses of why we
can't be blessed. We blame
00:19:43.18\00:19:47.28
it on a bad marriage, a
bad husband, a bad wife,
00:19:47.32\00:19:50.49
bad children, bad
parents, bad job, bad school,
00:19:50.52\00:19:54.02
bad teacher, bad timing,
bad break. And therefore,
00:19:54.06\00:19:57.93
we can't be blessed.
But today, come away from
00:19:57.96\00:20:01.73
the complaint counter,
and come to the claim window,
00:20:01.76\00:20:05.77
because your health, your
blessing, your opportunity,
00:20:05.80\00:20:10.94
your breakthrough,
your salvation, your miracle
00:20:10.97\00:20:15.44
is not in the pool.
But I read somewhere that
00:20:15.48\00:20:19.85
I will lift up mine
eyes unto the hills from
00:20:19.88\00:20:24.32
whence cometh my
help. My help comes from the
00:20:24.35\00:20:28.46
Lord who made heaven
and earth. Jesus said,
00:20:28.49\00:20:31.13
I am what you
need, and I know what you
00:20:31.16\00:20:34.30
need because I have
what you need, and I have
00:20:34.36\00:20:37.00
what you need
because I am what you need.
00:20:37.03\00:20:39.40
I am the Great Physician.
I am the Rock of Ages.
00:20:39.43\00:20:44.94
I am the Lily of
the Valley. I am the
00:20:44.97\00:20:48.91
Burden-bearer. I am
your Heavy-load Sharer.
00:20:48.94\00:20:52.71
I am your Financial
Clearer. I am your Medicine
00:20:52.75\00:20:57.05
in the sickroom, the
Lawyer in the courtroom.
00:20:57.09\00:20:59.32
I am that I am.
Wilt you be made whole?
00:20:59.35\00:21:03.76
Notice, Jesus after
He asked the question,
00:21:03.79\00:21:11.10
Jesus did not help
the man get in the water.
00:21:11.13\00:21:15.54
He comes to the
man on the man's mat,
00:21:15.57\00:21:20.08
the same mat and
the same situation the
00:21:20.11\00:21:21.94
man so wants to
escape. But Jesus speaks life.
00:21:21.98\00:21:27.25
"Rise, take up
your bed, and walk."
00:21:27.28\00:21:35.06
"Rise, take up
your bed, and walk."
00:21:35.09\00:21:40.90
Don't just lie
there, don't just feel
00:21:40.93\00:21:44.20
sorry for
yourself, don't just wait for
00:21:44.23\00:21:47.67
somebody to do
something for you, but rise,
00:21:47.70\00:21:51.97
take up your bed,
and walk. Jesus didn't
00:21:52.01\00:21:57.58
lay hands on the
man. Jesus didn't put oil
00:21:57.61\00:22:01.52
on the man. Jesus
didn't anoint the man.
00:22:01.55\00:22:05.92
Jesus just told the
man, "Rise, take up your bed,
00:22:05.95\00:22:12.03
and walk." Jesus
told the man what to do
00:22:12.06\00:22:15.60
because He had
already given the man the
00:22:15.63\00:22:17.20
power to do it.
Rise, take up your bed.
00:22:17.23\00:22:21.00
Somebody's going to
get that in a minute.
00:22:21.04\00:22:22.90
And walk. No more
excuses. You can make excuses,
00:22:22.94\00:22:29.61
or you can make
progress. Excuses are for folk
00:22:29.64\00:22:33.45
who don't want it
bad enough. Stop whining,
00:22:33.48\00:22:37.09
stop complaining,
stop bellyaching. No more
00:22:37.12\00:22:41.22
quitting, no more
wishing, no more waiting,
00:22:41.26\00:22:43.36
no more watching, no
more dreaming, no more
00:22:43.39\00:22:46.29
excuses. Sick
people have made you sick
00:22:46.33\00:22:49.06
long enough. Just
rise, take up your bed,
00:22:49.10\00:22:53.47
and walk. You'll get
stronger as you walk.
00:22:53.50\00:22:57.44
You'll get wiser as
you walk. You'll get
00:22:57.47\00:23:00.54
smarter as you
walk. Your faith will grow
00:23:00.58\00:23:03.31
stronger as you
walk. Just rise, pick up
00:23:03.35\00:23:07.48
your bed, and walk. 
 And so the Lord told
00:23:07.52\00:23:11.19
me to tell
somebody: This is your year.
00:23:11.22\00:23:14.56
2016 is your year.
Stop dreaming about it,
00:23:14.59\00:23:22.03
stop waiting on
it, stop wishing on it,
00:23:22.06\00:23:26.43
stop making
excuses. The kingdom suffered
00:23:26.47\00:23:30.44
violence, but the
violent take it by force.
00:23:30.47\00:23:33.54
No weapon formed
against you is going to prosper.
00:23:33.58\00:23:36.64
No more "I can't." No
more "I don't have time."
00:23:36.68\00:23:40.72
No more "I can't
afford it." No more "I'm fat."
00:23:40.75\00:23:44.19
No more "I'm
skinny." No more "I'm old."
00:23:44.22\00:23:46.92
No more "I'm
young." No more excuses;
00:23:46.96\00:23:49.16
just rise, take up
your bed, and walk. You see,
00:23:49.19\00:23:56.70
I've been depressed
too long. I've been feeling
00:23:56.73\00:23:59.47
sorry for myself too long.
I've been worried too long.
00:23:59.50\00:24:03.67
Somebody, you've been
scared too long. You've
00:24:03.71\00:24:07.81
been weak too long.
You've been worried about
00:24:07.84\00:24:11.18
people and what
they're going to say too long.
00:24:11.21\00:24:13.62
Just pick up your bed
and walk. Pick up your
00:24:13.65\00:24:18.92
faith and
believe; your job and work.
00:24:18.95\00:24:22.36
Pick up that book and
read; pick up your battle
00:24:22.39\00:24:25.96
and fight; pick up
your cross and climb;
00:24:25.99\00:24:29.26
pick up your past
and proceed; pick up your
00:24:29.30\00:24:32.60
life and live. Just
pick up your bed and walk!
00:24:32.63\00:24:37.27
Jesus does not ask
the man to exercise faith
00:24:37.31\00:24:43.65
in Him. Jesus simply
says, pick up your bed
00:24:43.68\00:24:49.78
and walk. But the man's
faith, Ellen White says,
00:24:49.82\00:24:55.59
takes hold on that
word. Jesus had given him no
00:24:55.62\00:24:59.79
assurance of divine
help. Listen to that now.
00:24:59.83\00:25:04.77
Jesus did not give
the man assurance of
00:25:04.80\00:25:08.24
divine help. Give
the man some credit.
00:25:08.27\00:25:10.91
The man might
have stopped to doubt,
00:25:10.94\00:25:13.64
and he would have
lost his one chance
00:25:13.68\00:25:15.44
of healing. But
the man believed in
00:25:15.48\00:25:18.61
Jesus' word and he
acted on the word of Jesus,
00:25:18.65\00:25:21.48
and he received
strength. Don't get it twisted -
00:25:21.52\00:25:24.55
I'm about to sit down -
but don't get it twisted.
00:25:24.59\00:25:26.72
The man was healed,
but the man was not healed
00:25:26.76\00:25:30.26
by the water. The
man was healed by Jesus.
00:25:30.29\00:25:35.93
Pick up your bed
and walk. Obviously,
00:25:35.96\00:25:42.00
the man had a choice.
He could have listened
00:25:42.04\00:25:44.44
and ignored, or he
could have listened and hoped,
00:25:44.47\00:25:46.17
or he could have
listened and obeyed.
00:25:46.21\00:25:47.78
The man listened and obeyed.
00:25:47.81\00:25:51.38
But this is the
final point I want to make.
00:25:51.41\00:25:55.18
When Jesus told
the man to pick up his
00:25:55.22\00:25:58.42
bed and walk, the
man does not leave his
00:25:58.45\00:26:02.72
bed behind. The
bed goes with him.
00:26:02.76\00:26:11.17
His circumstances are
real. The difference now is,
00:26:11.20\00:26:17.97
he carries them.
They no longer carry him.
00:26:18.01\00:26:22.24
I wish I had a witness in
this place.  [Aud. reaction]
00:26:22.28\00:26:25.45
PB:  Jesus - listen to me
good. I'm about ready - Jesus.
00:26:25.48\00:26:31.75
Young people, listen, He
does not change our outer
00:26:31.79\00:26:36.02
circumstances, He
changes us. He calls us into a
00:26:36.06\00:26:44.10
new way of being, a new
way of seeing, a new way
00:26:44.13\00:26:46.57
of acting, thinking,
speaking. When we stand and
00:26:46.60\00:26:50.34
rise to discover new
life, we discover our
00:26:50.37\00:26:53.41
circumstances when he
changes us. Somehow our
00:26:53.44\00:26:57.38
circumstances
change. Now, this does not
00:26:57.41\00:27:00.85
mean that life
is going to be easy.
00:27:00.88\00:27:03.62
This does not mean
that we will no longer
00:27:03.65\00:27:05.25
have to deal with
circumstances of life,
00:27:05.29\00:27:06.82
it just makes our
circumstances more manageable
00:27:06.86\00:27:10.06
and we deal with them
from a different place
00:27:10.09\00:27:11.79
and position. Which
means, every day with
00:27:11.83\00:27:14.36
Jesus is sweeter
than the day before.
00:27:14.40\00:27:16.50
The man I was 26
years ago when I came to
00:27:16.53\00:27:18.87
Oakwood is not
the person I am now.
00:27:18.90\00:27:20.50
Jesus changed me, and
so now my circumstances
00:27:20.54\00:27:23.47
have been changed.  
The pool at Bethesda is
00:27:23.51\00:27:29.11
drained of its power
over us. There is freedom
00:27:29.14\00:27:36.75
now where there
once was imprisonment.
00:27:36.79\00:27:40.12
Inertia gives way to
creativity. Inactivity
00:27:40.16\00:27:45.43
yields to activity.
Apathy moves over to vitality;
00:27:45.46\00:27:50.60
stagnant waters
now move with new life.
00:27:50.63\00:27:54.24
Dead church becomes live church.
00:27:54.27\00:27:58.94
Stiff people
become spirited people.
00:27:58.97\00:28:03.85
Legalistic saints
become loving Christians.
00:28:03.88\00:28:08.35
Finger pointing
becomes hand holding.
00:28:08.38\00:28:13.89
j>:  Thank you for joining us
for another exciting Breath of
00:28:13.92\00:28:16.69
Life television broadcast. Tune
in next week at the same time,
00:28:16.73\00:28:20.30
as Dr. Byrd will deliver another
dynamic message from the Lord,
00:28:20.33\00:28:24.00
just for you. Until
next time, may God bless you.
00:28:24.03\00:28:39.05