Luke 18:41 ” ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ ‘Lord, I want to see, he replied.’ “

The blind beggar was sitting by the side of the road near Jericho.  As Jesus walked near, the crowd brought the blind man to Him.  Jesus knew the beggar was blind, so why did He still ask him that question? “What do you want Me to do for you?”  It says in Matthew 7:8, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”  The Lord wants us to ask Him for the desires of our heart…even down to tiny things that only we care about.  Asking the Lord for something to be given to us isn’t unspiritual or lacking faith…it’s quite the opposite.  The Lord delights in us asking.

Psalm 118:22-23 ” The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”

The story comes out of Matthew 21:42 where Jesus is quoting this Scripture to the chief priests and elders of the Temple…whom were not too happy about Him accusing them of rejecting the Messiah…namely Himself, Jesus.  Continuing in the next verse, Jesus countered with, “Therefore, I tell you that the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.”  Jesus was offering the gift of salvation to Gentiles…building His Church from those willing to accept Him as Savior.  And as Believers in Christ, we are the Church.   To paraphrase Ephesians 2:20, We the Church, are  God’s people,  built on the foundation of all  martyred  apostles and prophets,  with Jesus being the chief cornerstone.

Revelation 20:10 ” And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

The ending has already been written…Satan’s doom is inevitable, and he knows it.  The Accuser and Slanderer of God is well aware of how his story will end…and it’s not pretty.  Satan knows that his time is short and so he’s bound and determined to take as many deceived souls with him into that abyss.  Pray then,  that people’s eyes and ears will be open to the Truth…the Truth of the living God.

Deuteronomy 26:18 ” And the Lord has declared this day that you are His people, His treasured possession as He promised, and that you are to keep all His commands.”

Later, in Titus 2:14 it says, “Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people who are His very own, eager to do what is good.”  If as a Believer, we could fully grasp just how valued and cherished we are in the Lord’s sight, we would be radically changed.  But we can grasp it in a fashion.  Jesus Christ died in our place on that Cross…taking upon Himself our sins,  in order that we may have a pathway to God.  You want to know  how precious you are to the Lord?  Take a look at His hands and feet…He willingly endured that for you.

Mark 10:16 ” And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them.”

The persistent crowds followed Jesus wherever  He went…pressing close and clamoring for attention.  But in this Scripture we see a completely different picture of the Lord.  He’s holding little ones on His lap…taking the time to hug and cuddle babies and toddlers…seemly unaware of the crowds around Him.  Jesus was practicing the gift of unhurried joy.  Of taking the time to show someone just how important they are with no regard to time, schedules, or deadlines.  Our greatest gift to someone we love, is unhurried time with them…calm, peaceful, focused time – not glancing at our watches or phones, but rather at them.  Who in your life today needs to receive the gift of your unhurried time?

John 4:4 ” Now He had to go through Samaria.”

Jews didn’t associate with Samaritans,  and any self-respecting Jewish man surely wouldn’t make a point of traveling through Samaria…but Jesus did.  He didn’t have to plan the trip that way…most would have gone around Samaria…but Jesus didn’t.  You see, Jesus had a divine appointment arranged for a woman at Jacob’s well…a meeting that would not only change her,  but many of her fellow towns-people. The Lord  is ever reaching His saving hand  into places we’d probably never go…into prisons, crack houses, seedy motels, or dark alleyways…places where the forgotten, shunned, and hopeless live.  But no soul is beyond His reach…no life is beyond His grace and mercy.

I John 5:12 “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

This scripture doesn’t mince words…you either have eternal life, or you don’t.  You either claim Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, or you don’t.  In this wishy-washy world where no one wants to commit or take a stand, it’s pretty black and white…you either believe in Jesus and have eternal life, or reject Him and have God’s wrath on you.

II Corinthians 4:4 ” The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

The darkness of evil is everywhere in this present world…obscuring the understanding of the Gospel to the lost.  As a Believer,  what can I do to make a difference?  The song, “My Father’s Eyes”,  reminded me that His light needs to be shining forth when someone looks at me.  I need to be unashamed of professing my faith in public and able to back it up with sound doctrine when questioned.  I need to be able to share the Good News of Jesus with anyone, at anytime,  in a manner that is easy to understand, non-threating, and loving.  Finally, I need to be able to share my testimony…my story,  in a concise, simple manner…for there is nothing more powerful than a declaration of what the Lord has done in my life.  Are you up to the challenge to make a difference in this fallen world?

Luke 24:18 ” They stood still, their faces downcast, one of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, ‘Are You only a vistor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?’ “

It was still on the third day that these two followers of Christ  were trudging on the road to Emmaus.  Disheartened and disillusioned , they had put their hope in this man named Jesus only to see Him die on a Cross.  Yes, some crazy women had  tried to convince them that He had risen from the dead, but they weren’t believing any of it.  Suddenly,  a man was walking along side them, asking what they were talking about.  Cleopas was incredulous that this stranger didn’t know the events of the last few days.  In more modern language, Cleopas might have exclaimed to Him – “Have you been living under a rock?!”  And Jesus could have replied, “As a matter of fact, Yes, I have.”

John 8:42 ” Jesus said to them, ‘ If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on My own; but He sent Me.’ “

God sent His only Son to earth in order to save us from  our sins.  Jesus Christ came from God to take our place on that cross.  So if you know God…you love Jesus…and if you love Jesus and accept Him as your Savior, your sins are forgiven…and when your sins are forgiven, you receive eternal life.