Christians are warned against following worldly examples and standards. They are not permitted to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Others may tell lies, jest, gossip, embezzle funds, bear false witness, but as genuine Christians, we are called to be different. We are not allowed to join a multitude to do anything that will not bring glory to the name of the Lord and His kingdom.

The man in our key text was in the same unpleasant situation for a long time - thirty-eight years. He believed that one day someone would be kind enough to help get him into the healing waters at the right time. However, when Jesus came by and asked if he would like to be healed, he failed to see that the Doctor of doctors had come to his help. His trust was not in God but in man.

God-given vision is a mental picture painted by the Lord to clarify the truth for man to understand. By the vision given to Peter, the barrier that hindered the preaching of the gospel to the Gentile world was broken. Vision gives boldness, drives away doubts and strengthens your belief. Much success was achieved by the early Church in its evangelistic outreach through visions. By vision, Ananias was emboldened to minister to Saul of Tarsus.

There was a time David found himself in a seemingly hopeless situation. Being a man after God's heart he quickly realised that the only way out was to encourage himself in the Lord his God. The Devil had employed his deadly weapon of discouragement to bring David down, but the Lord delivered him. Many have been destroyed and are still being destroyed by discouragement because of the lack of knowledge - Hosea 4:6.

It is wonderful to know God's word, but we are only blessed when we practise the Word. The knowledge of the truth alone will not make us free, but the doing of it. You are deceiving your own self when you do nothing with your knowledge of God's word. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God - Romans 10:17. But faith without works is dead. The Lord Jesus has commanded us to learn of Him by following His examples to do as He has done.