Don't Let Your Life Stagnate

- To restore completely inside & out

v. 7 - I HAVE NO MAN

- Excuse - Blame - My Reasons

v. 8 - RISE, TAKE UP THY BED, AND WALK

- It is not according to our abilities or strength

- It is according to His authority

v. 9 - IMMEDIATELY THE MAN WAS MADE WHOLE

Based on what you believe

Who are you going to trust

"If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done." (Ecclesiastes 11:4, LB)

Stagnation is dangerous.

- Leonardo da Vinci

Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation ... even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind

Moving From Stagnation To Stimulation

There are three common motivators:

PAIN: Often it’s not "seeing the light" that gets us going, but "feeling the heat.” You delay the dentist appointment until the pain is unbearable.

PRESSURE: When the doctor says "Lose 50 pounds or die," or the boss says "Improve performance or be fired," that pressure will motivate you to make a change. The problem with pressure as a motivator is that it doesn’t last. When the pressure subsides, so does your motivation. There is a better motivator.

PERSPECTIVE: When you see the big picture, or when you’re inspired by a challenging vision or purpose, you’ve found the best motivator of all – perspective. You realize that you’re wasting your potential.

The Bible says, "If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done." (Ecclesiastes 11:4, LB)

Four Ways To Stop Life’s Stagnation

1. ACCEPT responsibility for your own life. Refuse to be either an excuser (rationalize failure) or an accuser (blame others). Instead, be a chooser, and choose to break out of the rut you’re in.

2. ANALYZE - What do you really want. Write down specifically how you’d like to change.

3. AFFIRM - Stop saying "I can’t" and start saying "I can."

Believe you can change!

4. ACT - Don’t wait for ideal circumstances. Stop saying "When things settle down ....” Do it now! "One of these days" is really none of these days.

PRAY THIS: "God help me to do something differently this week and to do it better. Give me your strength to change."