Vision of Hope
Stop Living on Leftovers
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  • Stop Living on Leftovers

    Good morning, children of God! What a title He has given us! To be called a child of God! We live in the hope, peace, joy, and love of the of LORD.
    On this, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and the first Sunday of Advent, we can take peace and have hope in knowing that He already come to save us, to make a way to the throne room of God, and that one day, our Lord will return.
    Before I was a believer, I had no idea what True Hope really was. True hope is found in Jesus Christ alone. No man, no woman, not stuff, but Jesus Christ.
    We just celebrated Thanksgiving in the United States. A day when people get together, celebrate, enjoy time with one another, and maybe even say a thing or two they are thankful for.
    I was thinking about Thanksgiving and how many people will be living off of leftovers for the next week. We grew up poor, so thanksgiving meant we might get some leftovers our neighbors were willing to share. As I was thinking about these things, the LORD hit me with something: “Too many of my children, far too many believers, are trying to live off of spiritual leftovers.”
    So many of us have conditioned ourselves to believe we are supposed to live off of spiritual leftovers. What do I mean by that? Instead of pulling a chair up to the LORD’s Feast, to the King’s table, we act like dogs looking for scraps, hoping for even a little morsel of God’s best.
    LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING THIS MORNING!
    Jesus did not go to the cross for you to live off of spiritual leftovers.
    Jesus did not overcome death, and ascend to the Father, for you to live off of spiritual leftovers.
    Jesus is not going to return in Shekinah Glory for you to live off of spiritual leftovers.
    Spiritual leftovers are “second best.” You are not “second class,” you are not “second best” to the Father, you are His child, you are royalty! He has given His very best to you, and He continues to provide each of His children with His very best!
    Now, I know some may be thinking “Sure, Pastor. But I do not feel like He is giving me His best.” I am truly sorry that you feel that way, but your feelings do not dictate the truth of God! Your feelings DO NOT change the fact that God offers His very best spiritual blessings to you in this moment and every moment. Jesus said “Ask, and you shall receive.” You either aint asking or you are refusing to receive.
    I was reading the Word, and I come across some verses that hit me differently this week than they ever have before. We are going to dig into Mark 10:46-52. We are going to go through this verse by verse this morning. There is so much packed into these seven verses. Let’s start with Mark 10:46.
    Mark 10:46 NIV
    46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging.
    This occured during the passover season, so there were thousands of people passing through Jericho to go to Jerusalem for Passover. Bartimaeus, this blind man, and had to beg for a living. He did not want to, he wanted his life to mean something. He had heard about Jesus Christ, and so he stationed himself at the city limits where Jesus would be passing by as He left the city. He went to where he was sure Jesus would be.
    How often will we put ourselves in a place that God does not want us, where God is not present? We will actively sin, go the opposite direction of the Father’s call on our lives, or come up with excuses to step out of fellowship? This blind man, with nothing, did more in this verse to come to Jesus than many believers will do today.
    In Mark 10: 47, the blind man, Bartimaeus, does this:
    Mark 10:47 NIV
    47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
    The One True Messiah was passing by, and Bartimaeus experienced something he had never known, HOPE. All he knew about Jesus was through the testimonies of others, what others had said. There were thousands of people passing by him, how did he know it was Jesus passing by? The conversation in the crowd changed, people were talking about Jesus.
    This is the first time in the book of Mark that Jesus is referred to as “Jesus, Son of David.” This blind man, having never met Jesus, knew that he was the promised Messiah, from the line of David, the tribe of Judah. This man was not spiritually blind, and he was pulling a seat right up to the Father’s table. He acknowledged his need, and he confessed it publicly, caring only that Jesus the Christ heard him.
    Ask yourselves this morning: “Do I fully believe and place my faith in Jesus Christ?” If the answer is no, ask Him into your heart and your life today. Recommit yourself to Him. Today is the day, come up right now, or come see me or Pastor Paul after service.
    If the answer is yes, “Jesus is my Lord and Savior,” do your conversations reflect the character of Jesus Christ? Do people hear you speak, even in a group of friends, and know that you are not like the rest of the world?
    If someone is walking past and hears your conversation, what does it sound like? Are you speaking and living out your witness unto Christ so that the spiritually blind see the living and breathing Truth of God right in front of them, in you?
    Look how the people around Bartimaeus start treating him in Mark 10:48.
    Mark 10:48 NIV
    48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
    That is a picture of the world today interacting with true believers. Always remember something, the world hated Jesus first, and He told us that the world will hate us because we love Him. I AM GOOD WITH THAT, AMEN!
    I will continue to speak boldly about my Jesus, and I will continue to pray for His mercy over all who are lost in this world. There is going to be a great and dreadful day of judgement. His mercy on the lost is the only reason He has not returned to us yet. That is why the believers witness, words, and actions are so important. To draw people to the Kingdom.
    When I read this next verse on Friday night, I was in my office, worship music going, and my hands went up and I praised His Holy name! I mean full on praise! Let’s look at Mark 10:49.
    Mark 10:49 NIV
    49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”
    We need to get this imagery in our heads. Jesus is surrounded by thousands of people, moving through Jericho, heading out of town, and JESUS STOPPED! Jesus was not close enough to this man to hear his voice. He heard the pleas of a heart that was seeking after Him. He was far enough off from the man that he had to get the others closer to Bartimaeus to call him.
    Jesus stopped the power of hell over you.
    Jesus stopped the power of sin over you.
    Jesus stopped the power of fear over you.
    JESUS HIMSELF STOPPED, FOR YOU!
    I do not care how long you have been in your walk this morning, Jesus calls out to our hearts and our minds every moment of everyday. When the world is crowding our thoughts, when we are lost in the chaos, HE STOPS AND REACHES HIS HAND OUT TO US!
    Look what happens next.
    Mark 10:50–51 NIV
    50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
    What a lesson! How few believers today are that eager! Bartimaeus did not want anything to get in the way, he even threw his cloak aside so it did not get in the way! It was probably the only thing he owned! So many people hang onto the things that hinder their walk with Jesus. Worldly things that get in the way of reaching Christ or walking closer with Him. Believers do it all the time.
    We make excuses for what we say, we make excuses for what we do. We feel the need to explain away our mistakes, rather than recognizing them and repenting of them. People will hold so tightly onto the things of this world that they let go of Jesus Christ.
    Verse 51 is what blew my mind though. I have a second chair in my office, so I turned to that chair, and pictured Jesus Christ sitting in that chair, and asking me “What do you want me to do for you?” Really, take a moment, and picture Jesus looking at you and asking “What do you want me to do for you?” I WENT BLANK!
    That is a very direct question from the King of Kings! He is not saying it like: “What do you want from me now?” That is your LORD and Savior saying “BRING IT!” “Don’t beg me, don’t try to convince me, don’t lie to me, just tell me.” “What do you want me to do for you.”
    Bartimaeus knew exactly what he needed and had no difficulty stating his need. He did not waver. He was not like many who are vague in their prayers and requests. He had examined himself and knew precisely what he needed.
    DON’T SETTLE FOR LEFTOVERS! DARE TO ASK BIG, THAT IS WHAT HE WANTS! NOT JUST WHEN YOU ARE PRAYING FOR YOURSELF, BUT WHEN YOU ARE PRAYING ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE ELSE. GOD IS CHEERING YOU ON!
    Bartimaeus had to do something else too. He had to make a personal confession to Jesus. The Lord knew what Bartimaeus needed; but the Lord knowing was not enough. The man had to search his own heart and make a personal confession to the Lord.
    The Lord knows what we need. If we are not willing to be honest and boldly tell him, what do we expect him to do? He gives His Best Breakthrough Blessings When We Ask! ASK HIM FOR HIS BEST!
    I am not talking about things. Render unto Caesar's what is Caesar's, right? Ask Him for His spiritual best!
    Ask for:
    Courage
    Strength
    Wisdom
    Commitment
    Persistence
    Joy
    Faith when your faith is weak
    Ask for the ability to love others better
    Stop living on leftovers, and look to God to provide His very best to you, because that is what He did and He continues to do for you and for me.
    Let’s look at Mark 10:52.
    Mark 10:52 NIV
    52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed (sozo) you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
    “Go, your faith has healed you.” Bartimaeus was healed. This is the last miracle we see in the Gospel according to Mark. What’s crazy is we read about these physical healings, and we have become so complacent that our reaction is typically “I am not surprised, it’s Jesus.” We miss so much when all we see is the miracle and we do not go deeper.
    I had to dig into the “your faith has healed you” statement that Jesus makes here. In all honesty, I will admit that it still bothers me when I see people I love, some with great faith, not receiving the full physical healing of the LORD. I mean, people who are spiritual giants in the faith.
    When we talk about faith, it literally means “trust.” These people “trust” the LORD in a way that inspires everybody around them, yet they do not receive full physical healing.
    The thing is that none of us make it out of this world alive. The difference is that those who trust in the Lord, receive their full healing in the Kingdom of Glory. In the Shekinah Glory of the Father, forever. Jesus used a VERY SPECIFIC form of the word “healed” here.
    In the Hebrew to Greek translation, the word for “healed” has two meanings. But there is one meaning that shows up far more often. The word for healed is sozo.
    Strong’s Greek #4982. σῴζω sozo;
    * Saved (50)
    * Save (36)
    * Made well (11)
    * Everything Else (11)
    The number in parenthesis is how many times “healed” shows up by meaning in the New Testament. Of the 108 times the word healed is used in the New Testament, 80% of the time it means Saved.
    Jesus is not putting the emphasis on physical healing, he is putting the emphasis on salvation through Him. His saving grace. Mark 10:52 shows us this.
    Mark 10:52 ESV
    52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
    Jesus told Bartimaeus to go, but at the end of the verse, we read that he “followed Jesus along the road.” Jesus is saying “You can go your way now, if you would like.” Bartimaeus had to make a choice to follow Jesus. Bartimaeus said “Uh uh, I am following you!”
    Jesus transformed a beggar beside the road into a disciple on the road. Faith that does not lead to discipleship is not saving faith. Whoever asks of Jesus must be willing to follow Jesus. As you follow Jesus, boldly ask Him for His spiritual best. Stop living on spiritual leftovers.
    Worship Team/Altar Call
    As the worship team makes their way up, let’s take a few minutes right now to bring our personal confessions to the Throne Room. Think about what you have been struggling with, and ask Him to give you the strength, the courage, the faith, and the love to overcome and to glorify Him in all things. Everything else will fall into place unto His glory.
    The altar is open, and there are brothers and sisters available to pray with you. Go to your Father in Heaven.
    Time of Prayer
    Closing Prayer
    Father God, we thank you this morning. Thank you for answered prayers, and for unanswered prayers. We thank you for your son, Jesus Christ, the one we place all our hope and trust in. We thank you for providing us with your very best, even when we turn away from your blessings. Teach us to focus on you in the times of chaos and trouble. We thank you and we love you. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

      • Matthew 24:30NKJV

      • Mark 10:46NKJV

      • Mark 10:47NKJV

      • Mark 10:48NKJV

      • Mark 10:49NKJV

      • Mark 10:50–51NKJV

      • Mark 10:52NKJV

      • Mark 10:52NKJV

  • Shout to the Lord
Vision of Hope
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