The revelation of the blind man

 Luk 18:35 ”And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: 36and hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. 37And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. 38And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.”

 When the blind man asked who it was, they answered him Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. But when he cired out, he didn’t say Jesus of Nazareth, but rather Jesus, son of David! To call him son of David was the same as saying he was the Messiah. Those around him rebuked him, and told him to be quite. Maybe there was some influential people in the group. Maybe there were some Pharisees in the group that they were afraid would be offended. But he cried out even more. 

It puzzles me that the group that followed Jesus didn’t recognize him or confessed him as Messiah, but this blind man did. Its like he is saying: I know something about this man you don’t know. He is not just a great teacher. He is not just a Prophet. He is the son of David. Why would God reveal it to a blind beggar, and not to the prominent people in this group?

1 Cor 1:27 ”but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are”

After he was healed, he joined their group, and when they reached Jerusalem, the WHOLE multitude now is shouting Hosannah, son of David… I wonder if it was this blind man that influenced the crowd to be bolder. 
Let no one intimidate you or scare you to be silent. Let us shout it from the rooftops and don’t be afraid if we offend someone. Jesus is GOD manifested in the flesh. He is the image of the invisible God. He is the first and the last, the beginning and the end. The Alpha and the Omega. ALL the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in him. 

I have called you by name

 Mark 10:46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimæus, the son of Timæus, sat by the highway side begging.

 

This story is told in all of the gospels. While the other gospels only referred to him as a blind man, Mark identifies him with a name. This was Bartimæus, the son of Timæus. The reason why Mark did so was because everyone knew who he was. Everyone knew his father. It was not just any blind man. It was Bartimæus. You see God knows us by name. He sees us as unique individuals.
We like to give reports of thousands being saved. We like to give and listen to reports of Thousands receiving the Holy Ghost, and thousands being healed etc. But behind every number there is a name. There is a story. There is a family and a situation behind every number. 
I am glad God knows our name. He knows where we live. He knows what family we belong to. He knows what we go through, and what we have been through. To him you are not just a number. You are not just part of a report. The Prophet said it this way: I have called you by name, you are MINE. 

What do you want me to do for you?

Luke 18:40 ”And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, 41saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.”

 

I am amazed about this story. Remember that Jesus is GOD manifest in the flesh. It was the creator of the universe walking on earth. The long awaited Messiah that had come to them. Of all Jesus came to do and to accomplish you would think he had a very very busy schedule. But here, he stops everything, and gives his 100% attention to one single blind beggar. When Jesus is in front of him, he asks him: What do you want me to do for you? This very moment its only you and me. He was on his way to Jerusalem to be crucified. He was on his way to Jerusalem to be received and worshipped as the Messiah. But still he had time to stop by this one man.
Jesus ministry was not just big crusades. It was not just huge crowds and a mega ministry. He went for the one. He made it clear he cared about the individual. He called for him to be brought to him. If you listen he calls for you as well. If you receive his invitation, he will stop everything else and give you 100% attention. He will ask you: What do you want me to do for you. I have time to listen to YOUR needs. I have time to listen to your problems. 
Why would Jesus even ask him? Wasn’t it obvious what he needed? Still he wanted him to say it. He wanted him to confess it. Jesus knows already what we need. But we still have to pray. We still have to ask. Answer Jesus question today. ASK and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened up to you.

Gods power made perfect in my weakness

 2 Cor 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

 This was Gods response to Paul when he asked God to remove his thorn in the flesh. God said his grace was sufficient for him. Instead of a miracle, God offered his grace to Paul. Why would he do that? God wanted Paul to be depending on him. Depending on Gods strength, and not his own. His thorn, kept him depending on God, reminding him every day he needed God. 

Sometimes God leaves something in our lives so we are reminded we need him.

Then God goes on to say that his strength is made PERFECT in weakness. That’s why the Prophet says: Let the weak say I am STRONG. Because when I am weak in myself, I rely on GODS strength. And Gods strength is ALWAYS better than my strength. Paul brings it even to another level when he says he will GLORY in his infirmities. We like to glory in our strength. We like to glory in our abilities. We like to glory in our talent. But Paul had found the truth. He had the revelation. When I am weak. When I confess my infirmities. When I don’t have the resources in myself… THAT’S when the power and the strength of God is at its best. Its made perfect through my needs!

When I boldly confesses my weaknesses I also proclaims that whatever I am and do, its mot of myself, but my Father who does his work through me.

Self Confidence or God confidence

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

 

We are being told and taught how important it is to have self-confidence. Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities. You have what it takes. If you believe in your own talent and strength, there is no limit to where you can go. But way too many of us realizes through life’s journey that self is not always the best to depend on. We let ourselves down. Sometimes we will let those around us down. The truth is that self-confidence has very limited potential. But God-confidence has unlimited potential. God confidence is being confident that he LOVES me. It is being confident he BELIEVES in me. It is being confident he is FOR me. It is being confident that he will never leave nor forsake me.

When you come to God, it starts by trading self with God. Let self die, and God live. Just like Paul said. When you do that, you have traded self-confidence with God-confidence

God will not finish what he didn't start

Phil 1:6 ”being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

 

God always finish what he starts. But God never finish what he didn’t start. That’s why the start is so important. If you want God to finish your work, then make sure he started the work. Make sure that he is in your start. The Bible is very clear on how we should start this journey. It starts by repentance. Many churches and Preaches will lead you to a start that doesn’t include repentance. Just repeat this prayer after me. No repentance. No turning around. No message about taking up your cross to follow him. It is in the process of repentance we die WITH him. That includes him in the start. The start includes baptism. It is in baptism we are buried WITH him. That brings Jesus into the start. The start should also include the Holy Ghost. That’s when we are resurrected WITH him. If your start includes dying, being buried and resurrected WITH him, then you can rest assure that he also will finish it. 
There are also some churches that God don’t start. They were founded on the grounds of rebellion, or pride. Sometimes self installed Pastors. If God didn’t start it he will not jump in midway and finish it. The start is important!!! 

You can always go back and make sure your start is right. If you have not repented, you can still go back and do it. If you have not been baptized, it is not too late to go back to the starting point and fix what men has messed up. 

 

The reason the Devil is so busy trying to mess up the start is because he knows then he can mess up the finish.

Do you really know who Jesus is?

Luk 18:35 And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: 36and hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. 37And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. 38And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

 

They told the blind man that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. But when the blind man cried out, he did not say Jesus of Nazareth, but rather Jesus thou Son of David. The blind man knew that Jesus was something more than just Jesus of Nazareth. He addressed him as the Messiah. Maybe because he knew that one of the prophecies about the Messiah was that he should open the blind eyes. When Jesus asked him: What do you want me to do for you, his reply was: Lord that I may receive my sight. He received his sight because he knew who Jesus was.

 

When Jesus met the woman at the well, he told her: If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink: though would have asked him...

Your prayers reveals if you really know who Jesus is!