So RED or BLUE for YOU? DO YOU SEE or ARE YOU STILL BLIND?

John 9:35- When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?^[a]” ³⁶ The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” ³⁷ “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!” ³⁸ “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.

 ³⁹ Then Jesus told him,^[b] “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see^[c] that they are blind.”

In the movie the Matrix, Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburn) offers Neo (Keanu Reeves) the opportunity to see, through the choosing of colored pill.  Upon taking one red pill, he'd become aware of the world that exist under the candy-coated world in which we call the physical realm, the spiritual world.  Or he can take the blue, forget the meeting ever occured and continue to walk in blindness.   Many of the Pharisess presumed to KNOW-IT-ALL and JESUS simply offered them an opportunity to be healed of this such blindness, not in the form of a pill, but rather in believing that HE IS!  What about you?   Do you claim to KNOW-IT-ALL?  Do you say things like:

                    " I don't have to go to church to........"  or " I can get close to GOD on my own..."

                    " Pay tithes for what, I ........" or " I'm not ready to join a small group because....."

Notice how each statement the problem is with the "I" which is the road block, which signals that your

EYE(s) are yet blind to the fact you need to get out of the way.   You need to believe that CHRIST IS....I'm mean really:

     CHRIST IS:  Able to come into you life when you lay it down to pursue Him

                          Able to deal with your financial issues when you surrender them to Him.

                          Able to use other people to pour into you, so that you may be led into

                           deeper relationship with Him.

                           Able to provide a small group of people to love on you, and you them

                           right into His will to serve others.

SO, I conclude this entry with this.....If you claim to no longer be BLIND, in today's verse 38, the response of the BLIND that chose to believe in JESUS was that he immediately worshipped Him.  WHAT DOES YOUR WORSHIP LOOK LIKE, not just on SUNDAY, but ALL WEEK that's how you know...WHAT PILL you TOOK.   Neo after choosing the red (funny the color of the blood) trained to be this post apocalyptic disciple/savior ........WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

SO IF YOU GOT IT, ARE YOU REALLY FOLLOWING HIM?

Matthew 20:³⁰ Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

 ³¹ “Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them.

   But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

 ³² When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”

 ³³ “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” ³⁴ Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.

So yesterday we saw as Bartimaeus desired to be healed and it was his FAITH that healed him and his response was to then follow Jesus down the road.   We don't hear how far or for how long that he followed our Lord, but here in this account Jesus has compassion on two blind men, touches & heals them, and they too instantly follow Him.   So again...we see that GOD's will is that we would follow His Son after being healed.   My question to you is, while you MAY NOT BE PERFECT, but yet delivered or healed from something........ARE YOU STILL FOLLOWING CHRIST?

It's simple.....are  you reaching out to those that you know are blind to HIS LOVE, HIS MERCY, HIS COMPASSION, HIS FORGIVENESS?   These are all the things that are demonstrated BY CHRIST when He heals someone.....are you loving, merciful, compassionate, and forgiving or ARE YOU STILL BLIND?

TODAY you will be scheduled many DIVINE appointments (opportunities where CHRIST will put you in midst of select people (at the gas station, grocery store, your job, waiting in a line) and HE is watching to see how you communicate HIS LOVE, MERCY, COMPASSION, FORGIVENESS, GRACE to those around.....maybe it's taking someone's shopping cart to the cart collector, or helping the elderly load their groceries, or maybe it's checking on a neighbor, or HERE's ONE.....don't chime in on the complaining in line...but rather turn it into a GOD moment.  LGLP

DO YOU EVEN DESIRE TO SEE?

Mark 10:43-52 NLT: 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My rabbi,[a]” the blind man said, “I want to see!” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.

So JESUS knowing all, wasn't being presumptuous as only HE could really be, but earnestly wanting to know what was it that the man desired from Him.  The man addressed Him as one having the authority to remedy his ailment and we don't read or see that JESUS had to touch him, rub salve, or anything particular but He did say "Go, for your faith has healed you."  This man faith was the VERY CAUSE of his healing!  Is your faith to which, it can heal you?  I most cases people will probably answer no, simply because we are filled with so much doubt, and skepticism regarding this FAITH thing but what's the difference between this man and us?  He was blind, many of us are.   He had been calling out when He sinced the presence of JESUS, oh oh?   When at church, or in prayer in your home (or prayer closet) and the presence of the LORD is real...do you even call out to Him regarding your ailment, or you wayward family member, or your job, or whatever it is?  This man's desire to see was in JESUS will, how do I know, because he was healed, and what he, the blind man, did after being healed was a continuum of JESUS will, that He'd follow Him.  SO maybe you do have the FAITH to be healed, but in your healing will then follow JESUS down the road?

Just a thought, what if your making it BIG, would lead you down a different road, than you following JESUS?  What if getting another job, would lead you away from JESUS?  What if being _______________ would turn your heart away from JESUS.  His goal in healing is that you'd follow Him!   Do you SEE?  Do you desire to really see....see that HIS DESIRE is for you to follow Him?  May GOD BLESS YOU to SEE as JESUS sees!   LGLP

Even Though...He's Calling You, Cheer UP!

Mark 10:49-50 ⁴⁹ When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”

   So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” ⁵⁰ Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.

Yesterday I introduce the concept that many of us, if not all of us have experienced or is currently experienced some variation of blindness in our lives.   Today, I want to communicate to you from this excerpt that despite your disability, Christ is STILL CALLING YOU!  Here despite the fact that those around, disciples of Christ included, telling him to be silent Christ doesn't and isn't ignoring him, and is and will answer your calls to Him.   When those (referred to as THEY) recognized that Jesus wasn't going to ignore him and rather was calling him to HIMSELF, they took notice and informed the blind man; 1) CHEER UP.....(it's apparent when you are going through something you are not yourself or always positive) so they said 2) He's calling  you! 

TODAY I want you to know, if you are reading this blog  post, despite WHATEVER IT IS, Christ is calling you to Himself....so CHEER UP!  Surely if He wasn't calling you, you'd have much to be concerned about, BUT this is not the case He wants you to bring what it is you are dealing with, what's ailing  you to Him.  The question is WILL YOU BRING IT TO HIM, TRUST HIM WITH IT, and LEAVE IT WITH HIM, so that you can_______________________ (We'll talk about that tomorrow)  GOD BLESS!!!!! LGLP

Do You STOP to LOOK (upon)

Mark 10:46-49 Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. ⁴⁷ When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁸ “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁹ When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”

So often when reading scripture it's difficult for us to see the simplest thing, such as who are you in this story.  Really....reread it as many as times as you need to but come to the conclusion that you are SOMEONE in this story, and in order for the WORD to get into you, you have to GET into the WORD.  Are you the in the "THEY" who told the one crying out to be quiet?  Do you wish the complainers, the beggars, those CRYING OUT to be quiet when JESUS is near?  Maybe you are Bartimaeus, you are blind to your own sin, blind to your children's needs, blind to your neighbors that could use the love of GOD shown through you, blind to the DEEP need your church, your spouse, your parents need of your affections for them.  Maybe you are calling or crying out in a crowded world and no are being told " quiet".  I don't know who you are, maybe you are tender hearted and compassionate to those in need and are responding as Christ does.....but I know this much:  I'm not blind to the fact that if you are reading this GOD has given you another day, and I pray that you find yourself in this story...and respond in a way, that HONORS GOD and propels you to LOVE His people!

This week, my prayer is that your eyes are opened, and your blindness is no more....so that you too may follow JESUS!  LGLP