Don’t hold back – MOVE!
In Psalm 74 we read how destruction came to Israel. God appeared to be doing nothing to stop the onslaught. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 74:11 ‘Why do You hold back Your hand, Your right hand? Take it from the folds of Your garment and destroy them!’ God, of course, had not dropped them. But this scripture…
God uses the unlikely
God has unusual qualifications for people who He uses. What may be the requirements that the world has, often times means little to God. God is in the business of using those people who are unlikely candidates. I am so glad about this, because this means that God can use me. 1 Corinthians 1:27 But God…
Believe that God is with you and believe that He wants to use you
Gideon was a man in the Bible who did not believe much in himself. He was an insignificant man and he knew it. There was a patheticness about him. Judges 6:14-16 The LORD turned to him (Gideon) and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending…
What you think about yourself does not change God's purposes for you
Read 1 Kings 3:1-13 Often we allow what we think about ourselves to stop God’s purposes for us. The great Solomon of the Bible seemed to think he was inferior and ill-prepared for what God had planned for him. 1 Kings 3:7 ‘I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around.’ He may have…
God is ready to use you
Many people long to be used by God. Yet many people find this aspect illusive. But God is ready to use you. Perhaps it starts when God calls us to increase in our effectiveness. Many times, before God uses us, we go through a process of stripping, when things seem to go anywhere but where…
Jesus is ready to meet your every need
Mark 10:51-52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. The response from Jesus is interesting! He says to the blind man ‘GO”! It is often only in the ‘going’ that the miracle happens. Sometimes we want to stay and have everything change, but we must…
What do you want Jesus to do for you?
Mark 10:51 “What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. It seems to be strange that God would ask a blind man what he would want Him to do. Surely it is obvious that he wanted to see. I have often thought about this. I have developed my own idea on this question. I believe…
Get rid of every hindrance
Mark 10:50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. The cloak speaks of the things that we have clothed ourselves with. A beggar will usually clothe himself with shame. Here we see Bartimaeus throwing aside his cloak. He did not gently fold it up and place it to one side! He disposed of…
Jesus will stop for you!
Mark 10:49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” This is for me the most intriguing element of this great story. In the midst of the bustling crowds and the noisy activity and with Bartimaeus shouting louder and louder, JESUS STOPS! Mark 10:46-52 Then…
Do not allow anything to get in the way of your pursuit of God
Mark 10:48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” It is interesting to note that it says MANY rebuked him. When he started calling out and using his window of opportunity, he got opposition. The scripture says that many rebuked him and told…