April 12 2019

What do you Want me to do for You?

Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. Luke 18:35-43

What do you want Jesus to do for you today?  
Do you even know?  
Jesus asked the question of the blind man.  
It was probably fairly evident that he was blind, that he needed his sight.  
But Jesus asked the question anyway, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 
Sometimes, when we look around us, we assume what people need or want from us or from Jesus.  But we don’t know what is going on inside their life, the real life, the one that we don’t often see. Jesus didn’t assume that the blindness the man was experiencing was his greatest concern or his greatest need.  
He asked. 
So we shouldn’t assume that our greatest need is the thing most visible to those around us.  Sometimes, even our own needs seem to be buried within us.  
Take some time, sit in the Presence of the Lord, search your heart and be ready when you encounter Jesus and He asks you, “what do you want Me to do for you?”
Question for Discussion
What do you need Jesus to do for you today? Are you ready to answer the question when He asks?

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April 11 2019

Persistence

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. “Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ “And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, ‘yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. “And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? “I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:1-8

I find the introduction to this parable the most valuable piece of the story.  
“Then He spoke a parable to them that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” 
The widow was persistent.  
She continued to go to the judge with her request until her need was met. 
But it took her persistence and some time. 
Jesus spoke this parable with the intention of encouraging us to be persistent in prayer and not to become discouraged. 
How many times do we give up after one hastily said prayer, offered up in passing?  
There is value in being persistent and in allowing time.  
When we pray we need to commit to it. 
We need to stop, take the time and then follow up.  
Jesus says we are not to become discouraged.  
We need to go into this process understanding that it will take persistence and time, therefore our experience will line up with our expectations.
Question for Discussion
How persistent are you in prayer?

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April 10 2019

God, Be Merciful to Me a Sinner

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’
“And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Luke 18:10-14

Humility is a wonderful thing.  
One who gives and brags about it has lost the true meaning of the giving. 
The bragging speaks to the real intention; to be recognized, rather than to be a blessing. 
We must be careful to give from a pure heart, not grudgingly or for our own purposes, but out of love and compassion for the one we are giving to.
Question for Discussion
What is the real intention behind your giving?  Be honest with yourself.

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