What is the purpose?

What is the purpose?

John 9: ⁶ When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. ⁷ And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

⁸ Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”

⁹ Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”

He said, “I am he.”

¹⁰ Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”

¹¹ He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”

¹² Then they said to him, “Where is He?”

He said, “I do not know.”

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“That’s it! I’ve had enough!” I exclaimed. Problems had multiplied and I was alone. Having nowhere to turn, I decided to get on my knees and pray. It had been a while, but I did not know what to do. Before I prayed, I recalled my own words. “What’s the purpose of going to church?” Then I remembered incriminating the hypocrites who taught and preached. I wasn’t worshiping GOD.

• There was a time when I questioned the power of GOD.
• There was a time when I dared GOD to do HIS worst to me.
• There was a time when I doubted GOD’s love for me and power over my life.

JESUS spat on the ground and made clay to put over the blind man’s eyes. HE then “sent” him to the pool named “Sent” to wash off the clay. The blind man did so and was healed. But why the theatrics? Couldn’t JESUS just touch him and heal him? Yes, but there was a purpose.

• JESUS wants me to know there is a purpose for everything that I go through.
• JESUS wants me to understand that there is a reason I go through problems.
• JESUS wants me to acknowledge HIS power and seek HIM for the rest of my life.

Nowadays we label things as “birth defects.” BUT GOD may label it as a showing of HIS power. HE healed one person and thousands, if not millions, believed in HIS power. We still read this story today and get hope.

JESUS had a purpose for this person being healed after decades of living with the problem. HE could show everyone that HE is in control of physical ailments and long lasting problems. HE gave the town hope. I place my hope in JESUS.

• Are you questioning GOD?
• Do you question the “purpose” of HIS decisions?
• Will you stop doubting GOD based on your little knowledge of HIM and ask HIM to grow your faith so you can trust HIM more and more?  

Honor

Honor

John 8: ⁴⁸ Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

⁴⁹ Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. ⁵⁰ And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. ⁵¹ Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”

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“Let’s go in this store and laugh at the clothes” I suggested to my friend. We pretended to be customers and picked up, what we felt were outlandish, clothes to place in front of us. “I can were this to the prom and the gym at the same time” I said in ridicule. The salesperson was offended. “You don’t know clothes!” was my response to being asked to leave.

• My past insults may not have been honorable.
• My past ridicule may not have been uplifting or encouraging.
• My past thoughts of what would be a good idea may not have been good idea.

The Jewish church leaders began insulting JESUS with their questions. They questioned HIM being a Jew and they questioned HIS relationship with GOD. “Aren’t YOU a Samaritan and don’t YOU have a demon?” They asked slanderously. JESUS replied “You dishonor ME”

• GOD wants me to honor HIM with my belief.
• GOD wants me to honor HIM with my worship.
• GOD wants me to honor HIM with my trust in HIM and HIM alone.

JESUS is GOD, whom shall I fear. HE is the One who seeks and judges through the FATHER. HE writes my name in HIS Book of Life because I believe I need HIM. Many times I have questioned HIS authority and many times HE has forgiven me for doing so. HE has grace enough to accept the few times I actually honor HIM with praise. I thank YOU LORD for YOUR grace!

• How are you dishonoring GOD?
• Do you question HIS authority to execute HIS plan HE has for you?
• Will honor GOD by listening to HIM and seeking those only you can reach?

Catch Statements

Mark 11: ²⁷ Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. ²⁸ And they said to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?”

²⁹ But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: ³⁰ The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”

³¹ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ ³² But if we say, ‘From men’”—they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. ³³ So they answered and said to Jesus, “We do not know.”

And Jesus answered and said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

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Collecting as much information as I could, I was on a quest. I asked several people and they gave me their version of the story. “Guilty” was my verdict, but I knew he was guilty all along. When I approached him I had my questions already prepared. I was going to catch him in a lie.

• There were times when I went out to interrogate.
• There were times when I demanded a confession.
• There were times when I wanted “that” person to say exactly what I wanted to hear.

The church leaders had their questions already prepared. They felt they were in charge and demanded an answer to their pointed question on authority. JESUS, being GOD, could easily see through their plot. HE asked them about something “they” were guilty about. They had no answer.

• JESUS wants me to stay away from twisting the truth.
• JESUS wants me to recognize when I am trying so hard to get my way that I would interrogate my opponents.
• JESUS wants me to grow up enough to seek grace instead of guilt.

When I choose to “get down to the bottom of this” I place myself in authority. This self-appointed search for “my” truth can lead to questions that pup people in catch 22 positions. In other words no matter what they say they would be wrong. BUT GOD wants me to set people up for success. No matter what they did, they are forgiven through JESUS. GOD wants me to seek grace.

• Are you looking for someone to be guilty?
• Do you like feeling you are in charge?
• Will you stop trying to be the one who catches people and see grace for them?