Calling out to Jesus

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”   Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”  Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.  “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”   “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.  Mark 10:46-52

What an amazing miracle! What an amazing demonstration of faith! Are we surprised when reading stories of people who have an encounter with Jesus, also have their need supplied? Bartimaeus was blind and wanted to see. He was persistent in calling out to Jesus, even when the people of Jericho tried to keep him quiet.  Notice that he kept calling louder and louder, until Jesus heard him. Then the miracle happened and Bartimaeus could see. Jesus told him that his faith had healed him. 

I confess to you, my experience in reading scripture and especially the gospel narratives, already had me convinced that Bartimaeus was going to be able to see.  I knew Jesus could make it happen. This miracle would join the other miracles, from turning water into wine all the way up to raising Lazarus from death. After all, Jesus was in the miracle-making business, not only to show his compassion on those who needed him, but also as a demonstration of God's power.

I was drawn to this story today because I feel there is a need for us all to call out to Jesus, and when he asks us as he did Bartimaeus, "What do you want me to do for you?" Our answer should be the same words Bartimaeus used in his reply, "I want to see!" Even if your vision is 20/20 or if you, like me, depend on eyeglasses or contact lenses, we still need help from above to see lots of things.  Here are a some for you to consider, but also think of others that could be added to your list.

1.  We need help seeing there are people around us every day that could be drawn closer to God through our example and our influence in sharing the Good News.

2.  We need to have our eyes opened to the needs of those around us, and those all the way around the world. We may feel our resources are not enough to help much, but as we have seen, minimum resources in the hands of God, can bring maximum results. 

3.  We are often so busy looking at the faults of others, our eyes are closed to the fact that we are sinners.  As long as we live, even those who are saved by God's grace, are a part of Adam's race and need to be aware of sin. Yes, God still loves and forgives us.  Our salvation should never become a source of isolation from others. Jesus can help us see the whole world is our harvest field. 

What else do you need to see?  Bartimaeus called out to Jesus, and so should we. 

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Hallelujah!

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine."    Isaiah 43:1

Last Tuesday was the day our government shut down, and in my writing that day, I attempted to encourage everyone to understand the government is not our source.  God is still in control and while confusion and fears may abound, the evidences of our faith should abound even more.  That evening I received a response from someone who was viewing the government shutdown with the same degree of fear and concern that he would view the death of a family member. 

Yes, as an American I am concerned with what happens in Washington, but my point earlier was simple: Whatever happens in Washington does not dictate a style of living which is contrary to the lifestyle to which God calls me.  I am not going to stop loving God, because he promises to keep on loving me.  

Even greater than the reasons I gave in the article earlier in the week, and the reasons in the above paragraphs, the words delivered by Isaiah offer every Christian an abundance of confidence.  Through the prophet, God is telling us to not be afraid because we have been redeemed. God calls us by name and we are his!  Hallelujah! 

In the Gospel of John, Jesus is announcing his departure to the disciples and offering them his words of confidence and hope.  There are two of these assurances in chapter 14, so let's look at them.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God ; believe also in me."

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Those words were spoken by the Lord to his closest followers, to produce a spirit of calmness during the events that were about to happen.  He gave them the promise that the Holy Spirit was coming and would live in them and be to them a source of power and direction. Yes, even Jesus' followers were afraid for him to leave them, so he is letting them know, there is no reason to fear.

Likewise, when we face difficulties like a quarreling government and we have no idea how long it will last or how devastating things will be, do the concerns we all share dictate our every thought or word or deed?  Of course not.  

Jesus told his followers he was leaving them with peace.  He even gave them his peace. It's not like the peace the world can give us.  We have the peace of Christ, delivered to us and abiding in us by the Holy Spirit of God.  Again I say, Hallelujah!

Join me in prayer for our leaders that our land can come to know that same peace......that our leaders may reach those agreements that are best for America and her people.......and above all, pray that God will heal our land.  Let us strive to become and maintain our country as a God-fearing country, knowing that we must have the peace that only God can give.

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The Growing Process

"Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. ² Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, ³ now that you have tasted that the Lord is good."   1 Peter 2:1-3

Today we are going to look at two segments of Scripture from the pen of Peter.  We recently wrote about the middle part of this chapter, Jesus, the Living Stone, and Christians becoming like living stones, built into a spiritual house. Since the time of that writing, I have looked back at the paragraph which was before that teaching by Peter, and the paragraph after.  This will not only help us to better understand Christians as living stones, but will let us remember where we came from, and where we are going as God's children. 

The first three verses in 1 Peter 2 give us a list of things which do not belong in the ranks of a "living stone" which is being built into a spiritual house.  That's why Peter is saying, "If these things are a part of you, then get rid of them."  The list includes things like malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. When we stop and think about it, those things really don't fit in with spiritual house building. 

Then Peter suggests to those who rid themselves of those things, should be like babies, desiring the pure spiritual milk which will help them grow up in their salvation.  That reveals to us we are looking here at folks who have "tasted the goodness of the Lord," but still have some growing to do as they rid themselves of the bad things which do not belong in the life of the Christian.  Remember, Peter is getting ready at this point to teach them about Jesus, the Living Stone, and through him, they themselves can become like living stones and used in the building of the spiritual house.  So now, the last paragraph, which comes after the lesson on living stones. 

  ^"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."  1 Peter 2:9-10

Peter, an old sinner himself, is writing to sinners who are on the road to straightening out their lives from the ground up. We have noted it begins with spiritual infancy and feeding on the spiritual milk.  From that, there is growth and the living stone analogy.  Now notice in these last verses, Peter  calls them a "holy nation."  He continues with description phrases like "God's special possession" and "called out of darkness into his wonderful light."  

Almost as a benediction Peter informs them at one time they were "not a people but now they were the people of God."  Then he reminds them of the love behind such a drastic change when he says, "once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."  

His love and mercy are still that powerful, and still available to us as we yield to his call and allow him to lead us through his transforming power.  Now that you have tasted the goodness of the Lord, let his transformation begin in you. 

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Judging and Being Judged

I have just finished reading  the book, "12 Steps for the Recovering Pharisee (like me.)"  This well written and researched book by John Fischer can be quite revealing.  If you are brave enough to read a book that shows how pharisaical we have let ourselves become, then this book is for you. 

We know in the days of Jesus' public ministry, it was the Pharisees that constantly followed close by, not intending to learn anything from the Lord, but to catch him doing something that violated the law or their traditions.  The Pharisees were among the strongest religious leaders of the day, and their take on the historical teachings of the law, was the take everyone should accept.  Jesus was quick to point out to them their rigid adherence to the law would sometimes be trumped by their traditions. 

In the beginning, Fischer gets into the number one way many of us are  like the Pharisees of the Bible, in that we like to judge others.  We become the judge of others in a multitude of ways, including the driving habits of the man in control of car in the next lane, the checker figuring our bill at the department store, even our neighbor who waits so long between washing his car or cutting his grass.  Since we have made ourselves to be experts at driving, knowing we can figure a bill faster than the clerk at the store, and the world's authority on how often cars should be washed and how short or tall grass should be, that means everyone around us doesn't pass our specifications of the perfection we claim to possess. 

So that describes the Pharisees and their way of enjoying their position of judging others, but in that area it is very easy for us to be just as judgmental.  Contrast all that with what Jesus had to say concerning judging others, in the Sermon on the Mount. 

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  Matthew 7:1-2

That is only one example of what is facing us if we choose to be judgmental. Jesus is telling us when we decide to assume the job of judging others, we better be ready to face the judge.  Also, the same rules and standards we use in judging others, are the same for us when we are judged. 

I can only imagine how irate the Pharisees became when they learned of Jesus' teaching about the matter.  Does it upset you that you will be judged in the same way you have judged others?

Yes, even those in the church can become some of the most judgmental people around.  We can be some of the most clever individuals when it comes to judging, because we, like the Pharisees, have grown to love it so much. 

The key to overcoming a judgmental spirit is to follow the teaching of Paul in Philippians 2:3, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”

That's something the Pharisees needed, and certainly something we need as well.  If our Lord considered the prostitutes and tax-collectors worth teaching and extending his saving grace, that should speak volumes to us. 

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The Big Shutdown

¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
⁸ the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.  Psalm 121:1-8

I have some good news for you.  The government of your country is not your source.  The politicians in Washington, regardless of the party label they carry, are not the answer to our problems.  The bills and laws which are submitted to congress for approval or rejection, will never save you. 

I do not like to see all the turmoil our country is experiencing, and I certainly do not have all the answers, but I do know our God will never shut down his grace, his mercy, nor his love for us.  That is why the psalmist would write words which encourage us to our place our confidence and dependence on God, especially in times of trouble. 

Today I will pray, like every day, with full assurance God will hear and answer.

Today I will trust, like every day, in his direction for my life.

Today I will help, like every day, those who are hungry or hurting.

Today I will look, like every day, for opportunities to share my faith.

Today I will share, like every day, a kind word, a good deed, or a caring concern for someone who needs me.

Today I will be aware, like every day, of the presence of the Holy Spirit living in me, to lead, and direct me in right paths.

Today I will be thankful, like every day, to my Lord, Jesus, for giving his life to pay for my sins.

Things may be getting very serious for our country and its future. I will pray for America and her leaders to turn and seek the face of God as they lead us through these times.  

But, at all times, I yearn for all to know, " My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."  

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