Heaven's Will and Earth Collide

What is it that stopped Jesus in His tracks to tend to Bartimaeus' need in Luke 18:35-43? 

Here is a man who thought money or goods were his greatest need as he sat on the road begging that day.  That is until he overhears that Jesus is passing by.   Something stirs within him.  His spirit leaps when he hears that the Man of Compassion is in his midst.   Faith arises.  Bartimaeus becomes desperate to receive more than what a fallen world had dealt him.   He becomes bold.   He pushes past the fear of men; men, who had sight, yet were blind to what his soul was reaching for.   He refuses to keep silent.   He no longer accepts “the bad report,” but to trust in the Name above all names. 

 

Heaven’s will and earth collided that day.  Bartimaeus walked away with far more than eyes that could see, but a life changing encounter with Love Himself.  

 

 

Begging for what I thought

To be life’s greatest need

Until Love’s presence passed me by

And my soul cried to be freed

 

Refusing to keep quiet

A heart in desperate plea

To reach the ears of Messiah

Simple words - that I believe

 

Unashamed persistence

Abandoned fear of man

Confident pursuit in the One

Who holds my need in His hands

Relentless in pursuit

Crying out all the more

The King of Glory turns to me

“What is it your soul longs for?”

 

Simple faith and confidence

Stopped Mercy in His tracks

Healing my sight to fully see

True Love move on my behalf

 

-ets

 

 

 

Trials

 

“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your FAITH IS GENUINE. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” (I Peter 1:6-7)

 Not every trial is from God, but IN ever trial, is a testing ground.  A test of our true character.   A test of our true foundation (Luke 6:48-49). How we walk through our trials reveals the genuineness of our faith.  God will use even the enemy's worst attacks to bring growth to our lives if we allow it.  What the enemy means for ultimate harm, God is at work behind the scenes creating an opportunity for us to be refined and come through shining.  It is not God's will that we allow Satan to steal even a second of breath that God purposed to be used for His glory.  So where there is opposition, He creates opportunity.  Opportunity to fully surrender to the change and work He wills to do in us.  Opportunity to touch the lives of others in our state of brokenness.  Opportunity to become more like Jesus.

In the test, we need to be found having steadfast faith..  Part of the definition of ‘steadfast’ means “loyal support that will ENDURE STRAIN.”  Strain, hmm… sounds like trials, doesn't it? 

James 1:2-3 tells us, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”

To be patient does not mean to be passive during the troublesome circumstances, but rather to have a STEADFASTNESS that bravely endures.  Choosing to doubt our doubts and firmly believe God is bringing the victory.  An “I’m not giving up” kind of attitude because greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world!  (1 John 4:4) 

Situations in life are hard.  It’s understandable why at certain points in all of our lives we feel like throwing our hands in the air and saying, “Enough! I can’t handle anymore!”  We’ve all been there.  Quite frankly, walking by faith and not by sight is easier said than done.  But if we can just see past the storms...  See past the clouds...  See through the eyes of faith that thing hoped for (Hebrews 11:1)...  The storm WILL pass.  There is a brighter day on its way!

Let's make the choice TODAY to start new with an attitude of steadfastness.  There is something worth fighting for.  There is SOMEONE worth enduring for.

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.”  (James 1:12)

 May we one day be able to look back on our lives and quote the words of Job:

“But He knows where I am going.  And when He tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.  For I have stayed on God’s paths; I have followed His ways and not turned aside. I have not departed from His commands, but have treasured His words more than daily food.” (Job 23:10-12)

Reveal to Heal

 

 

"Praise the Lord. I'm blessed" are often things you hear repetitiously in church when asking someone how they are doing. I understand the need to be positive. I understand that we are not to live by our feelings. I understand we need to confess what the Word says about us. BUT I also know there are people right in our churches who are broken. They fear saying how they really feel because "that wouldn't be faith talk." 

 

It is time for the church to become a safe haven; a place where people can reveal in order to heal. Do we camp out on the problem? No. But once we know there is a problem, we can offer the solution. I encourage everyone to be more sensitive to the inner cries of those around you. You have in you what people need to be free. However, you can't help them if you don't know help is needed. We need to make ourselves available so that His healing power can flow through us. 

And remember: Healing is a process. Helping someone who is emotionally broken requires time and a whole lot of patience. A lot of people do not want to invest that kind of commitment in the lives of others. This then leaves us with churches full of people putting on their “church face” and never being real with one another. Is this what “church” is supposed to be all about?

“The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity” Luke 4:18

 

All that’s hidden

 

 Must be revealed

Nothing gets past Your eyes

You know the darkness underneath

You know the inner cries

 

You want to peel the mask away

And erase all of the fakeness

You are not pleased with the lies

You’ve come to expose the weakness

 

You desire that all of Your children

Would have oneness with each other

But these walls are such a hindrance

Of us being real to one another

 

You know everything about us

The reasons we are insecure

Only You have the answer

To release us from this fear

 

It can’t be done in our own strength

The supply comes from only You

Deliver us from this bondage, Lord

Make us a people who walk in truth

Fear

 

 

We are all well acquainted with the emotion that bears a choke hold. It's ruthlessness. It's torment. It's an enemy to faith, a thief that robs you of life - imprisons you to a false reality.

Anxiety, depression, doubt, worry, hurt, anger, sadness, low self esteem, unworthiness. It comes disguised underneath many different emotions, but it all comes down to one thing:

FEAR.

The paralysis for some is the dread of what could happen years down the road, anxiety associated with an unpredictable economy, and for many it is the torment of what today, the next hour, the next minute will bring.

"...fear has torment." 1 John 4:18a

Fear is not only an emotion, but a spiritual force. It is very similar to faith in that both have an unshakable belief in an unseen future. Fear trusts circumstances, natural predictions, the enemy's lies, and self. Faith trusts God and what His Word says. Fear is negative faith.

Fear is an enemy of God. It in essence rips Him of His lordship in our lives. We become self focused and not God focused. We put our trust in the wisdom of man rather than in the power of God (1 Cor. 2:5). We no longer see Him for Who He is and who He desires to be in our lives... He solely becomes a gateway to Heaven, but in our day to day living He is diminished to a dusty figure placed on a shelf. 

God is love, and the Bible says that Perfect Love casts out fear. God is THAT perfect love.

"There is no fear in love (dread does not exist), but perfect love turns fears out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment. He who is afraid has not fully experienced His perfect love." 1 John 4:18

Father, we want to know Your love... Your love is our freedom. Your love removes shackles. Your love delivers us from all fear. You are not what our circumstances look like. You are not what the latest trends define You as. We commit to growing in the knowledge of who You truly are as defined in Your Word, and through that knowledge - growing in intimacy with You... We know that in experiencing that intimate love - fear has no more room in our lives. Thank You for Your love and the hope and peace it brings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uztHkNujb5o

"I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." Psalm 34:4