Roots

Roots

John 9: ³⁵ Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”

³⁶ He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”

³⁷ And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”

³⁸ Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.

³⁹ And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”

⁴⁰ Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”

⁴¹ Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

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After the third promotion I could see the top getting a bit closer. Nervous about the trail, I resorted to listening to lines from some cheesy movie. “You are the master” are the words I remembered, to give me confidence. “You can do this!” I went in and got the promotion. I was invincible! Or so I thought.

• There were times when I had a lot of “self-confidence.”
• There were times when I believed in myself and “my” abilities.
• There were times when I thought “I” accomplished a lot.

JESUS reveals HE is GOD to the man HE healed of blindness. HE then asks “Do you believe in the SON of GOD?” The man says “Yes!” The church leaders, who were very confident in their titles, asked “Are we blind?” They knew the Bible thoroughly and mentioned GOD regularly. They could not “see” their blindness.

• GOD wants me to only have confidence in HIS abilities.
• GOD wants me place my trust in HIS abilities, motives and methods.
• GOD wants me to admit I am blind and need HIM every second of every day.

Forgetting that GOD raised me up from very meager roots led to my blindness. I foolishly believed that it was “my” talents that raised me up to where I got to. My ego was deflated when it was all taken away. GOD showed me just how blind I had gotten. I forgot to give HIM credit for the little things as well as the large.

GOD is in control of everything, no matter what humans think. All trust needs to be placed in JESUS for only HE knows the true plan. GOD is my master, in HIM I place my trust.

• Are you over confident in your abilities?
• Do you suffer from lack of confidence because you think you lack abilities?
• Will you remember where you came from and believe GOD made you exactly as HE wanted so you can serve HIM today?

Assumptive Knowledge

Assumptive Knowledge

John 9: ²⁴ So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”

²⁵ He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

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It was time to visit a college so I asked everyone to get in the car. I used someone else’s GPS to put in the directions and began driving. After a long while, something seemed wrong. “Let me see that GPS” I said. The volume was down and it was not connected to the car. For over an hour, I did not hear the messages to turn around. I just knew I had done everything right!

• Sometimes my assumptions are wrong.
• Sometimes my assumptions may lead me in the wrong direction.
• Sometimes my assumptions can cost something precious.

“We know that this Man is a sinner” the church leaders assumed about JESUS. They assumed HE was some random guy trying to get their power. They loved their power over the people and would never let anyone threaten their position. They used the name “GOD” but assumed it was not JESUS.

• JESUS wants me to know HE is GOD.
• JESUS wants me to know HE loves me.
• JESUS wants me to know HE is the only one who can save me eternally.

My assumptions about GOD can be wrong at times. I mean when things are not going so well, I may assume HE does not love me. I may also assume I can manipulate GOD by trying to be good after I sinned. GOD is bigger than my sinful actions HIS grace is sufficient to save me and forgive me. I no longer have to assume. I know GOD is for me.

• Do you feel GOD is against you?
• Do you think HE finds pleasure in your pain?
• Will you stop your assumptive thinking and know GOD is the only solution to your problem?

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?