Jesus already knew what the blind man wanted before he even spoke. It was also quite obvious to the crowd as this poor beggar groped and fumbled his way to Jesus what he needed. But it wasn’t until the blind man spoke, “I want to see.” that God’s merciful kindness and Will came into his life. Do you lack God’s vision in your life right now? Is He calling you into a new season, a new work and you’re hesitating because it’s going against all sound reasoning? Do you desire His perfect purpose and plan in your life? Then like that blind beggar, tell the Lord, “I want to see.”
Category: Barnabus Ministry
Psalm 86:11 ” Teach me Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.”
During the very darkest time of my life I would read Psalm 86 in its entirety out loud every morning. I was alone, isolated from friends and family, and in the middle of a very violent relationship. I felt hopeless, helpless and totally alone. As I read these words out loud, I could almost hear David reminding himself that the Lord was near. And as he recalled all of God’s attributes…His great love, His mercy, compassion, and faithfulness, I too would be reminded of them and what God had done for me. And in the end, just like David, this Psalm gave me the strength and courage to endure for one more day.
I John 1:3 ” We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.”
The Greek word for fellowship is Koinonia. Now when we talk about fellowship or fellow-shipping together, our idea of it may be different from the true meaning. For many of us think of fellow-shipping together as fun social gatherings…where we mix and mingle, often with lots and lots of Potluck dishes, but little mention of God. But this word Koinonia has a much deeper and spiritual meaning. When as a Believer we learn to commune or share intimately with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ…it’s called Koinonia. And when the Body of Believers come together, it’s Koinonia when we share our love, faith, and encouragement with each other. For when we are truly fellow-shipping one with another, we are sharing what we have in common…our love and joy for the Lord.
Psalm 13
Psalm 13 is short…just 6 verses, but within it are emotions we’ve all felt. For Satan would like us to believe that when we’re going through desperate times…it’s because God has abandoned us. David laments to the Lord in the first few verses, using words like, “Have You forgotten me? And why are You hiding Your face?” Those raw feelings of doubt and questioning where God is only compound the sorrow, anxiety, and distress we already feel. To the point we’re asking, “Do You even care about me anymore, God?” But as David lifts this lament to God, his focus changes from himself and his situation, to who God really is and His promises. For at the end of Psalm 13 David declares, ” But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me.” (Psalm 13: 5-6) The grief and heartbreak may not have changed in David’s life…but what did change was his perspective and the assurance that God was still there.
James 2:14 ” What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? “
Throughout the Book of James we see him arguing the difference between faith and active faith. Just believing in God, he says, isn’t enough…for even the demons believe in God. (James 2:19) What the Lord demands from us is to demonstrate our inward trust in Him by outward actions. In other words, to not only hear His Word, but put it into practice. For faith without works is considered dead and accomplishes nothing for the Kingdom of God.
Jeremiah 18:6 ” O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does? declares the Lord. Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.”
Satan wants us to believe that we are who we are based only on the internal and external events of our life. That our life has been shaped and molded solely by our environment, culture, and all the trauma we’ve endured. For when we believe this, we’ll blame our parents, or our cultural upbringing for where we’ve ended up…rather than realizing that it is God who can shape our future…not the bad things that have happen to us in the past. Satan wants us to believe that our past dictates our future, and that generational chains cannot ever be broken off us. He wants to keep us in fear and doubt, accepting that we can never change. But if we’ll receive God’s grace and proclaim, “Yes, I once was…But God is willing and able to work in my life now!”… the Master Potter will form something beautiful out of that lump of clay we call our life.
Psalm 35: 12-13 ” They repay me evil for good and leave my soul forlorn. Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting.”
When the relationship is toxic and abusive…no matter what we do, it’s not good enough. The Scripture in Romans, “Don’t repay evil for evil” rings in our head as we’re assailed with angry words. For many times this attack comes from a close family member who really needs our help…but also feels comfortable in using us to vent their frustrations. If we can take a step back and ask the Lord to see that person through His eyes…we can often get a completely different perspective of why that person is behaving as they are. It may have nothing to do with us at all, but rather in the person’s loss of control, declining health, or other personal problems they feel overwhelmed with. It’s then that we can humble ourselves and persevere…relying on God’s grace and mercy.
Job 37: 5-6 ” God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow,’Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ “
God is far beyond any boundaries of our minds, knowledge or expectations. As Job 5:9 tells us, “He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.” We’d have to then agree with Genesis 18:14 when it asks, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” The simple answer is, No…there’s nothing that’s impossible for God. For there’s not one thing He can’t do, change, fix, or accomplish according to His Will.
Psalm 4:1 ” Answer me when I call to You, O my righteous God. Give me relief from distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.”
Distress comes in many different forms, and no one is immune to worry. But it’s how we approach difficulties and troubles that can make the difference between barely wallowing through them, and coming out the other side better not bitter. This Psalm gives us a blueprint or a road-map, if you will, when it comes to offering our supplication before the Lord. First we need to realize that when we cry out to God, He actually hears us. He’s not some far off entity… aloof and distant. Rather, God longs to hear our prayers and work in and through the troubles we’re going through. Next, He’s a just God full of kindness…He knows what we’re going through and wants to help. Finally, He’s a listening God. For when there’s no one else you can confide in…He’s always there.
John 6:69 ” We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.”
Jesus asked Martha a pointed question in John 11:25-26 after telling her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” To know Jesus and believe in Him go hand in hand in both theses Scriptures. To truly understand someone means spending time with them…getting to know them well and developing a deep personal relationship. Kinda like when you met your future spouse…you wanted to know everything about them! And after a while, your trust and assurance grew as you got to know that person better and better…finally resulting in committing and entrusting your life together as a married couple. The same goes for our relationship with Jesus Christ. We need to know Him before we can believe in Him. For our faith can only grow out of our understanding of Him.
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