Life Is What You Do With It

 Life Is What You Do With It

Exodus 2: ²³ Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. ²⁴ So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. ²⁵ And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.

 

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Somewhere over the course of forty years, the new Pharaoh died, but the affliction on the Hebrews remained. The people groaned and cried out to GOD because of their bondage. GOD heard the cries.

 

My Observations:

• Joseph was placed in Egypt as a blessing to him.
• The children of Israel were free while Joseph was alive, but enslaved after his death.
• GOD knew HE would free HIS people before they were enslaved.

 

When GOD made Adam and Eve, HE did not create them with problems. They had freedom to eat anything, say anything and go anywhere. Unfortunately, Satan tricked them into desiring what GOD said they shouldn’t. This is the fall of humanity. Ever since then, humans have tried to rule over other humans. Pharaoh spent his life in pursuit of ruling over people. He died without pleasing GOD.

 

Our free will is documented in the Bible. GOD knew and saw everything, but the Bible is written from a human perspective of what HE revealed. Humans were in bondage in Egypt and needed GOD’s rescue. The timing was right for GOD to put things into action to free HIS people. “GOD acknowledged them.”

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the death of the new Pharaoh and the Hebrews groaning?
• What are you spending your life’s time on?
• Can you make GOD your purpose in life despite the situation?

Purposeful Healing

Luke 18: ³⁵ As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. ³⁶ When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. ³⁷ They told him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’

³⁸ He called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’

³⁹ Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’

⁴⁰ Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, ⁴¹ ‘What do you want me to do for you?’

‘Lord, I want to see,’ he replied.

⁴² Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.’⁴³ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

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“LORD, if YOU would get me out of this mess, then I will serve YOU” was my immature “if-then” statement. My heart was not really on serving GOD, rather I wanted HIM to clear up my mess so I could go back to getting what “I” wanted.

• There were times when I really wanted something, so I prayed.
• There were times when the end of my prayer was to get something.
• There were times when I could care less about GOD until I needed something.

The blind beggar of Jericho cried out to JESUS, seizing his opportunity. No one could stop his pursuit of having JESUS heal him. He knew in his heart that JESUS was the only one who could heal him so he had nothing to lose and disturbed everyone’s day until he got JESUS’s attention.

When JESUS healed the beggar, he used that same loud voice to praise GOD. The beggar had a new purpose in life, to bring many to GOD.

• GOD wants me to want things from HIM so I can serve HIS purpose.
• GOD wants me to desire more and more from HIM so HIS purpose will be served.
• GOD wants me to praise HIM loudly when I receive things from HIM.

With nothing to offer GOD, I pray to HIM daily. I mean usually I’m giving HIM my garbage in exchange for a blessing. GOD deserves more from me. HE deserves me shouting with excitement that HE saved me! GOD is Great!

• Are you asking GOD for something?
• Are you bargaining with GOD with no intention of serving HIM?
• Will you stop trying to manipulate GOD and start serving HIM today whether HE answers your prayer or not?
• Will you praise HIM for all the times HE has brought you through the storms of life today?

Special Shout

Special Shout

Mark 15: ³⁸ Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. ³⁹ So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”

⁴⁰ There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, ⁴¹ who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

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“Hey, watch out!” cried someone to me. I was half way paying attention but still motioning towards the street. I stopped walking before the car sped past me. I am glad I heard the bystander.

Sometimes I need my attention grabbed.

Sometimes I need someone to scream rescuing words to me.

Sometimes I need a shout that is in my favor.

This was no ordinary shout from JESUS. When HE cried out with a shout, things happened. The earth shook and the veil of the temple was torn in two “from top to bottom.” HIS murderers realized the mistake they made by killing the SON of GOD.

JESUS saved me with HIS shout.

JESUS saved me when HE said “It is finished.”

JESUS saved me when HE said “FATHER I commend MY SPIRIT to YOU.”

The price had been paid. All blame for sin had been accounted for. The women followers were there to witness all of this from a distance. The guards were looking for the disciples who were scattered in safety. During this chaotic time, JESUS’s cry was heard by everyone. HIS shout is still heard today.

Do you need rescue from walking blindly through life?

Do you think it is your power that will enable you to fix everything?

Can you listen to GOD today as HE is trying to guide you towards HIS marvelous plan for you?

Forsaken

Mark 15: ³³ Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. ³⁴ And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

³⁵ Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, “Look, He is calling for Elijah!” ³⁶ Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.”

³⁷ And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.

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After a very bad day, I left work to catch the train. It was raining and I wasn’t dressed properly. At least the train ride wouldn’t be long because I parked in my “free” location. When I arrived at my car I noticed a dent the shape of the end of a baseball bat. I guess my observation skills were slow as I also saw my windows were attacked. “Why is this happening?!” I cried out.

• There were times when I had some very bad days.
• There were times when I wanted to just scream.
• There were times when it felt like nothing was going right.

After a strange and mysterious darkness, JESUS says something similar to my cry. “MY GOD MY GOD, why have YOU forsaken ME?” This cry of anguish could only come from a human experiencing a great deal of stress. But this was no ordinary human.

• JESUS saw it was no gain to be GOD and decided to suffer and die so I would not have to.
• JESUS knows what it feels like to be misunderstood and blamed for HIS existence.
• JESUS can empathize, sympathize and rationalize all of the feelings I have because HE felt the same way.

Half way listening, the crowd thought JESUS was crying out to Elijah instead of hearing HIS empathetic anguish. They had no idea what GOD was doing on the cross. Sometimes I have no idea what HE is doing too. When I scream out “Why?!” I want whatever pain I’m going through to end right away.

JESUS knows what I am going through, just like the FATHER knew what JESUS would have to go through. This permanent transformation to humanity included a special relationship change between the FATHER and JESUS. Now JESUS would be the only human that fully understands the power of GOD, because HE IS GOD. HE can forgive me because HE knows what I go through.

• Are you crying out to GOD?
• Do you feel forsaken?
• Will you give your anguish to GOD today and allow HIM to give you peace HIS way?

Keep Calling

Mark 10: ⁴⁶ Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. ⁴⁷ And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁸ Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁹ So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.

Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”

⁵⁰ And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.

⁵¹ So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”

⁵² Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.”And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

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“Why don’t you just give up” one professor told me. I had a failing grade point average and a lot of classes ahead of me. With no guidance, I felt defeated.

• Sometimes I feel like giving up.
• Sometimes it looks as if problems will never stop.
• Sometimes it seems like there is no solution and on top of problems, people try to kick me when I am down.

With no regard of Bartimaeus’s blindness, the crowd tried to silence him as he cried out to JESUS. Bartimaeus knew this was possibly his only chance. How often would JESUS travel to Jericho? How often would JESUS be within ear shot of Bartimaeus? He probably screamed until he was horse and JESUS heard him.

• JESUS wants me to pursue HIM with conviction.
• JESUS desires that I scream for HIM when things look bleak.
• JESUS hears me when I keep calling to HIM in spite of my thinking.

“Do not be discouraged” is not a conviction from GOD; rather it is HIS cry out to me to tell me HE loves me. GOD wants to remove my spiritual blindness; all I have to do is cry out to HIM.

• Are you deserving of something?
• Are you mad at GOD about your situation?
• Can you call out to GOD today and ask HIM to remove your spiritual blindness?