30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 18 35-43 THE FAITH OF BARTIMAEUS 08 God speaks into our circumstances
📖 Luke 18:35-43
07Nov2020 - *God speaks into our circumstances* - _Luke 18:35-43_ - THE FAITH OF BARTIMAEUS 8 – Bible reading: _II Corinthians 4:6-7_
_Luke 18:40 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, Mark 10:49-50 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._
We have been considering the faith of Bartimaeus and we have said that the flame of faith was burning brightly, when Jesus heard his cry of faith, stopped, and commanded that he be brought to Him. At the command of Jesus, Bartimaeus threw aside the garment of his old paradigms, rose up from his life of begging and came to Jesus.
The flame of faith in Bartimaeus to Jesus was now at its peak.
_II Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. …"
The Lord’s ears were sensitive to the faith cry of Bartimaeus and his faith cry caused the Lord to respond. The Lord is longing and looking to see and hear if there are any faith cries that He can hear and respond to.
The cry of Bartimaeus was a cry that longed for him to come out of his blindness. He saw his physical blindness as the cause of all his other struggles in life. From his place of desperation, he was calling on Jesus the Son of David, to have mercy on him. The Lord heard the desperate faith cry of Bartimaeus and healed him of what his real problem was, which was his inner blindness.
At the command of Jesus, Bartimaeus was healed. He threw his garment away and got up.
The command of Jesus has caused creation to be. God said and all things were created. _Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 22,24, 26.
_II Peter 3:5-7 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, (6) by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. (7) But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men._
The heavens and earth came into existence at His word, at His command. The world that then was, perished under the deluge, at His command. The heavens and earth that now exists, is preserved by His word. All of this is being reserved for judgement and the punishment of those who reject God, again awaiting His word.
This is the power of His word, His command. Our lives are therefore an outcome of His word that He speaks into us. _II Corinthians 4:6-7 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us._
As we live by faith in Him, He speaks His word into our situations and circumstances, just as He commanded and Bartimaeus was healed of his inner blindness.
What does He speak into our lives? He speaks into our lives His purposes and not ours.
This is our difficulty, for we want God’s word/command that will align with our agenda, our plans and our purposes in life. This is the reason why, often, our prayers are not answered. _James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. (Not according to God's pleasure and His purpose)_
What is God's purpose? _Ephesians 1:9-10 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, (10) that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him._
_Colossians 1:19-20 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, (20) and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross._
All things consist in Him. All of creation and man will find their fullness and completeness only in being reconciled back to Him. Today, man and all of creation are alienated from God. God’s purpose is to reconcile all things back to Him.
God is longing to speak His word/command into our lives. Our lives need to be aligned with the purposes of God, to be found in Him and to also bring others and all of creation back to Him. As we exercise our faith in Him, towards this purpose, we are sure to hear His command of healing, restoration and reconciliation with Him.
*Thought to ponder*
```“Teach us to pray according to your will, O God”```