 “He began to shout, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’” Mark 10:47 To his amazement Bartimaeous got Jesus’ attention. Jesus of Nazareth stopped and told some men to call him. They approached Bartimaeous and told him to cheer up and get on your feet. He’s calling you. There he sat, a beggar, on the edge of a dirt road right outside the city. His old coat and worn out clothes smelled like dingy earth. His hands reaching up to grab hold of anything someone would throw his way. His body was familiar with the draft of wind he felt as people walked by. Though he was blind, he could sense disgust towards him. He was dismissed as nothing more than a part of the road blending in with the soil, gravel, and ground. Ignored. Unimportant. Forgotten. A blind cast away who wanted nothing more than to see. Day after day this man begged on side of the road but today something made him lift his chin. He swiveled his head to the left and quickly to the right. Something was different about this day. From a distance he heard people, lots of people walking in his direction. He could hear the chattering amongst men and the shuffling of feet in every direction he turned his head. He overheard someone say Jesus of Nazareth was among them. Jesus of Nazareth!? Could it be!? The large crowd of people was now around him. They were loud and soon would be walking past him. If he didn’t do something now he would miss his chance to get Jesus’ attention. He couldn’t contain himself! In Mark 10: 46-52, we are introduced to a blind man named Bartimaeous who sits on side of the road begging. He had heard about Jesus who heals. He wanted to be healed. He wanted to see. If only he could come face to face with this Jesus. But would Jesus notice an unwanted overlooked individual like him? Nobody else ever had so why should Jesus. He didn’t have time to think this through. It was now or never! With the crowd of people all around Bartimaeous starts shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” The bible says many tried to quiet him with sharp words of rebuke. But the harsh words and criticism from the people made him more determined to get the attention of Jesus. He cried out and shouted again even louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” Mark 10: 49 “Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.” Mark 10: 50 Bartimaeous jumped up, threw off his coat and went to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and asked, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said, “Lord, I want to see.” What faith this blind man had! Bartimaeous didn’t beat around the bush. He didn’t stumble over his words and tell Jesus how long he’s been blind or question whether Jesus could heal him or whether He even wanted to heal him. Bartimaeous told Jesus exactly what he wanted…. to see! Have you waited long enough to get an answer to your prayer? Let today be your day! How to Breakthrough and Get to God {Lessons from a Blind man} Call on Him. How many times have we hoped to be healed, hoped to be refreshed, hoped to be restored? But that’s all we do. We just hope. Well not today. Don’t hold back. Cry and shout out to God to have mercy on you. Let today be the day you do more than hope. Be earnest. Don’t give up. So you’ve cried out and shouted for God to have mercy on you, for God to heal you but people are criticizing you, rebuking you, talking about you behind your back. Three words… Don’t. Give. Up. Don’t give up! I know people’s words can be harsh. I am sorry. I know they can be rude. I am sorry. Allow me to reach through this computer and wrap my virtual arms around you and tell you don’t give up. Shout again. Cry out to God again to have mercy on you. Believe Jesus heard you and wants you to come to Him. How many times have you cried out to God? Prayed for mercy? Prayed for healing? How many times do you doubt that He heard you? He hears you. He has stopped and turned to you. You got His attention. It’s time for you to believe He heard you and wants you to come to Him. Go ahead jump up on your feet like Bartimaeous because Jesus heard you! Throw off the unnecessary load. That cloak. How long had Bartimaeous had that filthy foul cloak on his back? Something compelled Bartimaeous to take off that dirty smelly old cloak. He didn’t want anything slowing him down to get to Jesus. He wanted the unnecessary load gone. Is there something “dirty” in your life, an unnecessary load you are carrying, a burden that is weighing you down? Today be bold and throw it off! Don’t wait. Go to Jesus. All it took for Bartimaeous was someone to say Jesus is calling for him. He wasn’t going to question whether this was true or not. He wasn’t going to wait any longer and shout some more. He quickly got up went to Jesus. What are you waiting for? Go to Jesus. “What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Lord, I want to see.” “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. Mark 10: 51 Last, be specific with your need. What is your specific need, your precise prayer request? No need to ask God if it is His will to heal you or question whether He wants to set you free. It’s time to believe that Jesus wants you completely healed and completely set free. Just as Jesus asked Bartimaeous, He is asking you, “What do you want Me to do for you?” He is waiting for your reply.
Prayer: Lord, I have cried out to You for mercy and you have heard me. Thank You for giving me strength to not give up in seeking You. Thank You for calling me to You. I want to reply to Your question “What do you want Me to do for you?” ______(Your reply)__________________________ . I would love to pray along side of you. Comment first name and I will also call your name out to God :) Be blessed! Also, feel free to encourage someone reading this in comment section.
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Good morning! How is your Monday morning starting off? Did you have a good weekend? Or do you find yourself bathed in guilt from something you wish you would not have done yesterday? Was mothering difficult Saturday? Were you short with your children or husband and it is difficult to lift your chin this morning because of regret? Maybe it's Monday evening when you are reading this or you are already in the middle of your week and you have failed in kindness and goodness to others? Be encouraged! Lift your head up! His mercy is new for you today. His goodness, His kindness, His faithfulness is new for you right now. God is giving you a fresh new start. Grab hold of it. It's for you and me! Tell Your Heavenly Father you are sorry for what you did and now let it go. Squish your pride and apologize to the one you hurt. Hug your children. Text your husband how much you love him. Don't rehearse yesterday in your head today. Now smile. Receive His forgiveness. You are loved. It's a new day! "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning." Lamentations 3:22-23   While standing in the laundry room, I couldn’t help but get lost in the soothing sound of the warm dryer. I was tired. Drained. Exhausted. With the children on the other side of the door calling my name, I just didn’t think I had anymore to give that day. Mothers’ days are filled with many roles. At my home in a given day, I am the chef and baker, personal chauffeur and assistant, caretaker, janitor, hair stylist, nurturer, disciplinarian, lecturer, listener, backyard safety officer, homework helper, runny nose-wiper, boo-boo kisser, bedroom inspector, tooth brusher instructor, bible teacher, wife, sister, daughter, and friend. Before having children, to free myself from life’s necessities, I often drove to the beach to refresh. There in the sun’s rays, the soft sound of the waves hitting the sand on the beach would quiet my mind and soul and reenergize me. Motherhood is a true gift from God but if we are not careful, we may find ourselves focusing on our family’s needs so much that we forget the importance of finding a moment for us to refresh. “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16  Jesus was a man that gave of himself daily. Large crowds sought Him. The multitudes gathered at His feet to be healed of different diseases. Every step. Every turn of the head. Everywhere He looked someone needed something. All who came to Him were healed, loved, and encouraged. Jesus met every need but He too recognized He needed time to refresh.
In Luke 5:16, Jesus found a way to be refreshed. He found a way to rest and relax for a moment. He made it a priority to often get to a quiet place and receive from the Father through prayer. I am sure as He withdrew during these times it was not without people all around Him still at His feet, still seeking Him out. But He knew He must refresh. Nowadays, going to the beach is not exactly an option; however, several years of going past empty without moments to refresh created a Mom who was constantly flustered, agitated and short tempered towards my family. I was unable to enjoy the season God had me in. Intentionally finding moments in the day to refresh has brought a newfound love and happiness for the season I am in. It’s brought clarity to my mind. My children are no longer met with a frazzled washed-out parent, but rather with a gentler and more understanding parent in their day. As with most Moms, are you tired, empty, and drained from taking care of your family’s needs along with the other tasks of the day? Think how wonderful it is that Jesus, who had the weight of all the needs of this world on his shoulder, was able to find moments to refresh. How can you get refreshed today? By adding a few changes to your routine, you can change your mood and attitude for the better. Music refreshes me. These days I still could get lost in the sounds of the dryer but I have learned I can get refreshed while in the laundry room by listening to some good praise and worship music. Try playing some praise music as soon as you step in the laundry room or while you are folding clothes. Try Pandora Music stations on your smart phone, ipad, or tablet. Not only does it feed your soul, but it also feeds your children’s soul and makes for a happy home. I do this too while cooking in the kitchen. An hour nap refreshes me. When the children would go down for a nap this was a great time to turn on the box fan, silence the phone, put a do not disturb note on the front door and rest for an hour. Sometimes this is just what I needed….. sleep! His word refreshes me. Do not neglect reading His word. God’s word is alive and active. It brings life to our bones. It’s great to read bible stories to our children but it’s just as important for us to have time alone with God. A moment with God, whether reading the bible or praying, can give me that little extra recharge I need. If Jesus thought it was important to do so then we should too. What are some other ways you refresh in the day? You never know if the words you say are the exact words another tired Mom needed to hear. Feel free to share other ways for Moms to refresh in the comment section of this post. Prayer: Lord, thank you for my family but I need refreshing. Show me moments in my day to be recharged. Help me have time in my day to be alone with you. I know in these moments I will be refreshed. Several years ago, I was meeting with a group of girls. I could feel something rise up in me that I could not shake. As the meeting came to a close I couldn’t contain it any longer. I stood up and exclaimed, “Let’s do something extraordinary for God!” This was not the first time I felt this. Since giving my life to Christ, in the last twenty years, there were similar moments where something would stir deep within me and I knew in those moments I was supposed to do something beyond ordinary for God. And isn’t it just like the enemy to find his way into our world and whisper his lies to God’s people about how “ordinary’ we are and how we could never do anything extraordinary for Him. Satan loves nothing more than to force his lies into our minds the way a nail is pounded into a piece of wood by a hammer. "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 In Ephesians 2:10, the truth is God created a masterpiece. A masterpiece! You are that masterpiece made anew in Christ. But He goes further. Not only did He make you anew in Christ but also preordained you to do good things. God never intended you or me to be ordinary. We are predestined in Christ to do good things in our life. We were meant to go beyond the ordinary at our jobs, with our hands, in our actions and deeds.
Has the enemy’s lie that you are only ordinary stopped you from taking a step in doing what God has stirred in you? Today you can stop believing those lies and believe God’s truth. You are His beautiful work destined to do extra-ordinary things for Him. Maybe you are reading this and thinking I have never been stirred to go beyond ordinary for God but you would like to experience this. The presence of Jesus is the difference between ordinary and extraordinary. Open your heart to Jesus. He’s been there all along waiting on you. Don’t wait any longer. Now is the time. Prayer for those believing the lies: Lord, I have believed the enemy’s lies long enough. I choose today to believe I was made anew in Christ and you have planned for me to do good things in my life. You have planned for me to go beyond ordinary. Prayer for those to receive Jesus as Your Savior: Jesus I accept you as my Lord and Savior. Forgive me of my sins. I believe You died on the cross and rose from the dead for my sins. Thank You for washing me clean. I am made anew today. I commit my life to You. Stir me, Lord. I want to go beyond ordinary for You. A man from Indonesia once said, “Extermination of a city could be prevented by presence of a few who have faith in God.” “But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” Genesis 19:26 In Genesis 19, God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah with fire from heaven. Lot’s wife was also destroyed but why? Sodom and Gomorrah were places where immoral, corrupt, wicked sin not only filled the streets and homes, but also seeped into the hearts of the people. Sin had become a way of life for the people that lived there and for Lot’s wife. An outcry against its people of these cities reached the ears of the Lord. The sin was so great that God vowed to destroy these places. Before God’s anger was turned to these cities, He sent two messengers to save Lot’s family from death and destruction. They were told to flee, run fast and not look back or they would be swept up in the destruction. Even though Lot’s wife was told the cities would be destroyed, her craving for her former life was greater than the truth that was about to happen.
Sin blinds, numbs, and thrives on decay. Death is sin’s end result. As the two messengers were bringing Lot’s family to safety, Lot’s wife looked back at Sodom and Gomorrah. She looked back at her former life. God turned her into a pillar of salt. Death was the end result for her. We all have sinned. In the bible it says, there is a way that seems right to man, but its end is the way of death. This world is full of immoral, corrupt, wicked sin. Like Lot’s wife, if we don’t flee and run from our sin, we will see this sin seep deep into our hearts making our sinful way of life look right. But it’s not right. It’s a wrong way to live. God wants your end result to be abundance of life not death and destruction. Can you think of something God is showing you to run away from? Be encouraged to flee from it, to run and not look back. This is the right way! Prayer: Father, I hear Your voice today. I choose to run away from (_this sin_) You are asking me to run away from. Even if I have to do it alone, I’m running. Thank You for showing me the right way. It was like a thick heavy wool blanket lay on top of me. Guilt reached around my body and locked on to me. The condemnation and accusations swirled around my head. The load was too much to bear. The weight of my sin was slowly killing me. I couldn’t shake it off. I felt so dirty. The weight of sin is heavy. Without the removal of our sin, it will bring us harm and damage our lives. It dulls our senses and clouds our vision. It affects the people in our lives and keeps us from living our full potential. God wants to remove this weight from us. “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:22 In Hebrews 10:22, God calls us to draw near to Him. He wants to lift the weight of our sin from us. He wants to wash us and cleanse us from a guilty conscience. The world cannot clean us the way God can. He is saying, “My cherished daughter, I see the weight that is on you. I know what you have done, my precious one, but I am Your heavenly Father who loves and forgives and can make it all better. I remove the weight of sin. I wash with My pure water. Love, full assurance and confidence replaces shame, regret and humiliation. Come to Me.
Are you weighed down by sin in your life? God wants you free of this heaviness. He wants you to enjoy your life. He wants you to be happy and full of joy. God doesn’t leave us to die in our sin but rather offers another chance to get clean and free of sin. Are you ready to go to Him? Prayer: Lord, I want to be washed with Your pure water. I thank You for letting me come to You in my sin so that You can cleanse me from this guilty conscience. Shame and regret are leaving. I am free to live and enjoy this life you have blessed me with. |
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Wife, Mother, Christian woman who loves God's word and teaching others what God teaches me, Adoption Advocate, Writer, Illustrator.Who am I? Galatians 2:20 does a great job of summing up who I am. My life is His, the One who loves me and gave Himself for me . In return, I want to be all He wants me to be and do all He wants me to do on this side of Heaven. 
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Recipient of the Angels in Adoption Award 2016. A program of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute in Washington D.C.
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