For the last several weeks I have been preaching about blind Bartimaeus. Some things that I have brought out over the last few weeks:
(1) Jesus doesn't just stop because there is a need but He stops when there is someone that is crying out for Him. Jesus said "Ask and ye shall receive"..... "those that hunger and thirst, shall be filled". If we are going to receive something awesome from God then we have to be willing to cry out and get the attention of Jesus as He is passing us by (which is all the time).
(2) We will meet opposition from people when we cry out for more of God, and it is how we respond that will determining what we get from God. They told Bartimaeus to shut-up but the bible says that he cried the more. He got louder and louder. His need causes him to break social order, it caused him to be controversial, need can do that. He was blind, they were not, and so therefore he was not going to be stopped. If you are trying to get the attention of Jesus you can not be pushed away by the opinion of men.
(3) We do not always know when Jesus stops. Remember Bartimaeus is blind and so when Jesus stopped, it was a great moment in his life but the truth is that he didn't know it because he could not see it happening. Just because you can't see God working doesn't mean that He is not. He might have stopped in the heaven lies but you can't see it in the earthly. That is why we have faith.
(4) Sometimes God uses the same people that were rebuking you one minute to bring you to Him the next minute. Be open to what ever God wants to do in your life and to whom ever He wants to use to do it.
(5) You have to leave the thing that identified you with your former life. For Bartimaeus it was a beggars coat. For you it might be an attitude, it might be hurt, it might envy, but what every it is you have to leave it and move forward.
(6) Be direct with Jesus. If you have the faith to cry out and if He has to mercy to stop then know that He has the power to do what you ask. So ask and be plain. Tell Him what you want. Talk Crazy Faith to God.
These are just a few of the points that we have been talking about during the last several weeks on Sunday morning. If you would like to listen or download the messages you can at the church website.
