humility – Page 24 – Broken Believers

He Will Come and Find You

Jules_Bastien-Lepage_The_Blind_Beggar — “The Blind Beggar” by Jules Bastien-Lepage

When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Mark 10:47

What a gritty, hard life Bartimaeus lived. How terribly desperate and lost he must have felt. He has spent years and years without any real hope. The future to him had been emptied of all purpose and meaning. Life, from his point-of-view was worse than non-existence. It was brutal and vicious, and when he had bad times he could barely look up.

He had a customary spot beside the busy road. Routine had become his coping skill. As a blind man knew that routine kept him from really losing it. Seated on a dirty mat, he focused in on the voices of the passing crowds. There seemed many more than usual and Bartimaeus began to try to piece together what was happening.

Someone to the right of him, shouted “Hosanna, Son of David”! In that stark moment Bartimaeus jumped up and began to shout himself. He shouted and shouted until he was hoarse. He waved his hands, desperate to be seen. There were those around him who told him to sit-down and shut-up. There were hundreds of people reaching for Jesus, arms outstretched and pleas being made. In this crazy and confusing scene Bartimaeus will not comply, he must speak, he must, he is desperate!

Jesus doesn’t walk alone, but is mobbed by well-wishers. But suddenly He stops, Jesus can hear the voice of Bartimaeus. Jesus wades partly into the jumbled mass and asks someone to bring Bartimaeus into the open. We see him wriggle through the crowd, he is shaking and he is filthy. His hair is matted and he has rotting teeth. He hasn’t bathed for several months. A filthy rag is wrapped over his eyes.

Is Jesus passing by? Do you call out for Him? Does he call for you? He often touches His most needy disciples, outside of the confines of the Church. Jesus’ travels wherever He wants, He goes where He wills. Jesus passes by us as we sit in our youth meeting, our marriage counseling or on a short-term missions project to Mexico. He interrupts and pulls you out of the crowd. All to heal you, for Himself.

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Simple Discipleship, [Understanding]

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Each of us who are broken believers will take the following steps. This is simple discipleship. These four will be at the root of everything we do. Our mental illness may influence this walk, but it can’t derail the process. Because it is a supernatural one, everyone starts at the same spot— whether we’ve an illness or not. Each of us must take these four steps and engage them:

Come to Me
Learn of Me
Follow Me
Remain in Me

Disciples will build their lives on these. They are solidly basic but extrapolated out into different unique variations. Each one will be uniquely yours.

COME TO ME:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28, ESV

The source is Jesus, and his presence is sought. Our heavy issues are relieved by his nearness.

LEARN OF ME:

^“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29

Jesus shares his yoke with every disciple. We are to learn at his feet, and it’s there we learn of his humility. Rest is your evidence of his proximity.

FOLLOW ME:

^“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24

A cross awaits every disciple. Self-denial is critical for every believing disciple. Jesus will show us how it’s to be done.

REMAIN IN ME:

“Remain [abide] in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” John 15:4

This involves drawing and extracting life from him. We are a branch that pulls its life essence from its core, he is our vitality and our strength.

“Whatsoever one would understand what he hears must hasten to put into practice what he has heard.” –Gregory the Great

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Becoming a Part of What is Really Real

“Six days later, three of them saw that glory. Jesus took Peter and the brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain. His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes were filled with light.”

Matthew 17:1-2, The Message

These three disciples belonged to the inner circle of our Lord’s friends. There must have been something in them that peculiarly endeared them to Him. We know that Peter was a leader among the apostles, and also a bold confessor; that John was “the disciple whom Jesus loved;” and that James was the first of the band to die as a martyr.

It is very encouraging to look at Peter who was admitted to such high privileges; a man with so many faults, who made so many mistakes, who even at the last shamefully denied Christ, and yet we remember that he was one of our Lord’s closest friends. It gives encouragement to us that, with all our faults, we may yet be very dear to Christ.

It does not seem so strange that John was allowed to enter the inner circle. His disposition was gentle and amiable, very much like the Master’s. Yet it is probable that John owed his sweetness and gentleness of character to his being with Jesus. It could be he was not always a man of love.

There is a Persian fable of a piece of clay made fragrant by lying on a rose; the perfume of the rose passed into the clay. So it probably was with John. He crept into his Master’s bosom, and lay close to His heart; and his Master’s spirit of love and gentleness passed into his life and transformed it. Thus we have a lesson, too, from John: constant and loving communion with Christ will change us into His likeness.

The lesson from this choosing of three out of the whole band for peculiar privileges is that while Jesus loves all His friends, there are certain ones whom He takes into closer confidence than the others. There are degrees of nearness to Him, even in this world. Should we not strive to be among those who, by disposition and by service, win their way to the closest places? We must remember that those who serve most are chiefest. –JRM

kyrie elesion, Bryan

(Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner)

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Under the Table, [Boldness]

But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

Matthew 15:27, NASB

This woman has a quick and nimble faith in Jesus. She will not let go, and the attitude of Jesus only enhances her faith. She was more then willing to be a dog, if that is what it took. The children would be served first, and then she could go and get the crumbs.

What is it that you want? What do you need? The humility of this woman was impressive. It was not easily offended or misdirected. In her desperate need she has no where else to go, and so she lingers, and refuses to be patronized. She wants the crumbs; the crumbs from His table are far better than the extravagant banquets and feasts of the richest nobleman.

“Not worthy, Lord, to gather up the crumbs
With trembling hand that from thy table fall,
A weary, heavy laden sinner comes
To plead thy promise and obey thy call.

“I am not worthy to be thought thy child,
Nor sit the last and lowest at thy board;
Too long a wanderer, and too oft beguiled,
I only ask one reconciling word.”

We are not fed with crumbs, but directly from the table of our heavenly Father. The Prodigal discovered that his Father was outrageous in His love. An incredible feast was just a manifestation of that grace. The feast declares the depth and width of His love.

You and I have become the honored guests. We do not get crumbs, but we feast at the table with the finest food and wine. Do we belong? Only you can answer that. But access is open to all who by faith receive Jesus as their Savior. When we do that we get the invitation to the feast.

“Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.”

Matthew 15:28

Are You Too Proud to Beg? – Matthew 15:21-28 (dianneguthmuller.com)

Category: humility

He Will Come and Find You