Seen and Heard

Seen and Heard

Acts 7: ³⁰ “And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. ³¹ When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him, ³² saying, ‘I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and dared not look. ³³ ‘Then the Lord said to him, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. ³⁴ I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.” ’

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“Come on!” I shouted in my mind. Another thing was going wrong and it seemed like my newfound prayer life wasn’t working. “What do YOU want from me?” I said out loud to GOD. No answer. I then started questioning HIS validity. “If YOU are GOD, then fix this problem right away” I commanded.

• There have been times when I lost heart.
• There have been times when I wondered if GOD even heard me.
• There have been times when I thought GOD doesn’t see me so I can sin as much as I want because maybe HE doesn’t care.

Stephen continues his discourse about Moses. He explains how GOD spoke to Moses regarding the oppression of HIS people. GOD was ready to reveal HIS plan to Moses.

• GOD says to me “Stand still and see the salvation of the LORD.”
• GOD says to me “I have come to give you abundant life.”
• GOD says to me “You are not alone, I AM here with you.”

With a flaming bush in the desert, Moses was summoned to GOD’s glorious plan. Moses had not prayed for the salvation of the people. He was quite content to live with his family away from the oppression. BUT GOD chose him to be the leader of HIS people.

GOD’s plan cannot be stopped. HE sees and hears all groanings and the oppression people face. HE already has a plan in motion to deliver HIS people. I am grateful GOD sees and hears me.

• Are you losing faith?
• Do you feel worried?
• Will you place in your heart that GOD sees and hears you and will guide and protect you today?

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?

Call the Authority

Mark: ²¹ They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. ²² The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. ²³ Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, ²⁴ “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

²⁵ “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” ²⁶ The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

²⁷ The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” ²⁸ News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

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“What is that weird sound?” I asked myself with a grimace as I turned on the air condition. It was a very hot day and my luxury item was acting like it was dying. I tried to look at it but my lack of knowledge was quickly revealed. “Well, it’s not the filter, now what?” I had to call an expert.

• Many times I need help.
• Many times I feel lost ad hopeless.
• Many times I try something where I am clearly out of my league.

JESUS spoke with authority like no one had heard before. HE knew the heart behind the law because HE wrote the law. HE wasn’t guessing nor manipulating people by twisting the words, like the church leaders were doing. HE showed HIS authority by casting out a demon. All were amazed!

• When I need help I can call on JESUS because HE has authority over my issue.
• When I am in trouble I can call on JESUS because HE can handle any trouble with ease.
• When I need help JESUS steps in even when I cannot call for help.

The demon possessed man could not ask for help, yet the very presence of JESUS made the demon nervous. JESUS helped the man without being asked and HE did it with authority. HE does the same in my life as well. HE steps in when I am petrified and rescues me when I am in trouble. JESUS has authority in my life.

• Are you stuck?
• Do you think everything around you is crumbling?
• Can you look to the only one who has authority and ask JESUS for guidance today?

Not for you, for ME

Ezekiel 36: ²⁴ “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. ²⁵ I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. ²⁶ I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. ²⁸ Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

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³² I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!

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As I struggled to remove my soiled pants I began to cry. I could not take them off without making more of a mess. My mother came in and helped me with my clothes and put me in the tub.

• Many times I have been helpless.
• Many times I have been dirty beyond measure.
• Many times I have tried to clean myself up and the more I tried the dirtier I became.

Like soiled pants, so are my sins. Sticky and nasty my sins tend to cling to me and make matters worse. Then my sinful thinking says “Take some of the soiled pants to clean the rest of your body.” Ludicrous is the only word I can think of when I believe I can clean myself up at any time. Who can clean me?

• GOD says to me “I WILL bring you back into your own land.”
• GOD says to me “I WILL sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean.”
• GOD says to me “I WILL give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.”

Like a gentle parent, GOD picks me up out of my sinful dirt and cleanses me of “all” unrighteousness. HE looks at my mess and rescues me anyway. HE seems me trying to clean myself up with soiled pants and sprinkles me with HIS holiness. HE removes my idolatrous heart and gives me a new one of flesh, not of stone. Why does HE do all of this? I mean should I clean myself up before HE saves me? NO!

GOD says to me “Your righteousness is like soiled pants. I AM not cleaning you for your sake, rather I am going to do these things, but for the sake of MY holy name.”  GOD wants me to follow HIM, point to HIM and love HIM. When I don’t, HE cleans me up because of HIS holiness, not mine. HE gently washes away the sticky sins and tells me to remember my conduct.

• Are you running away from GOD because you are “too” dirty?
• Do you think you should “clean” yourself up before you come back to GOD?
• Can you stop thinking you or anyone else can clean yourself or themselves up at all?
• Will you ask GOD to clean you the way HE wants to?

A Nice Prayer to Start the Day

Psalm 119: ¹⁶⁹ May my cry come before you, Lord;
    give me understanding according to your word.
¹⁷⁰ May my supplication come before you;
    deliver me according to your promise.
¹⁷¹ May my lips overflow with praise,
    for you teach me your decrees.
¹⁷² May my tongue sing of your word,
    for all your commands are righteous.
¹⁷³ May your hand be ready to help me,
    for I have chosen your precepts.
¹⁷⁴ I long for your salvation, Lord,
    and your law gives me delight.
¹⁷⁵ Let me live that I may praise you,
    and may your laws sustain me.
¹⁷⁶ I have strayed like a lost sheep.
    Seek your servant,
    for I have not forgotten your commands.

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What I noticed about this prayer is the person asks for help following GOD. Sometimes people tell me “follow GOD” but it is not always that easy. My sinful heart prevents the easiest tasks listed by GOD and soon I find myself not praising HIM or lifting a finger to grow HIS kingdom. BUT GOD wants me to act differently.

• GOD wants me to ask HIM for understanding of HIS word so I can apply it only to me.
• GOD wants me to ask HIM to accept my prayer for it is arrogant to demand anything of HIM.
• GOD wants me to ask HIM to teach me HIS decrees so I can praise HIM when I get the knowledge.
• GOD wants me to ask HIM to change my stony heart to enable it to accept “all” of GOD’s word.
• GOD wants me to ask HIM for help when I start following HIS path.
• GOD wants me to ask HIM for the abundant life HE promises me so that I can praise HIM.
• GOD wants me to confess to HIM that I go astray daily and I need HIM to seek me for I would not seek HIM.

This is a marvelous prayer and I am glad GOD inspired Taw to write it.