September Bible study notes- Bartimaeus

Take heart. Get up. He is calling you! ~Mark 10:49

Do you ever get discouraged, thinking that God is overlooking you… that He doesn’t notice you? The blind beggar, Bartimaeus, had been blind for… well, we don’t know. It could have been since birth, or maybe since childhood. But he was now a man. And he was a beggar. He was helpless. He had no wealth. No position. No power. Not only did he not have resources, but he had no sight. He could only sit by the side of the road, calling out for coins… begging. 

Before you look down on Bartimaeus, remember that without Jesus, we too are beggars. We are poor. We are helpless. In fact, it says in Isaiah 66:2, But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. Jesus said in Matthew 5:3, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The Message says it like this: You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

Blind Bartimaeus the Beggar must have heard some good things about Jesus of Nazareth. Perhaps his parents were good Jewish people and had told him of a deliverer coming from the line of David. It’s important for us to know WHO Jesus is. His name. His power. His might. To believe that He is God and that He can do what He says He can do. 

Who is Jesus to you? Do you praise Him for His name(s)? What name of God is special to you? (look for His names as you read the Bible)

What had been prophesied about Jesus came true, Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has  anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and  the opening of the prison to those who are bound.

Bartimaeus believed enough to shout out to Jesus, to call to Him. To ask Him to have mercy, and to pity him. To help him! Many of the people told him to be quiet. Perhaps he was a nuisance to them.  Maybe he was too loud. But this didn’t stop him. He called out all the more for mercy! Do we let the opinions of others dictate our actions? Do you do things, or, do you not do things, just because someone else might think differently of you? Don’t live from the fear of man. Live out of fear of God! 

Also, he didn’t give up. Whether Jesus responded or not, he was persistent in calling out. Do we have the faith to continue persistently in prayer? Not so much of insisting on our own will/desires, but truly pouring out our heart before God and being open and honest before Him. It’s something to work on. 

So, Jesus did hear Bartimaeus. He told his disciples to tell him to come. The disciples told him, Take heart. Get up. He is calling you!

 Take heart. Be of good courage. Cheer up. We can receive this word in our own lives. Don’t get discouraged about trials and hard times. What hard thing are you facing? Family. School. Church. Friends. Fires. Drought.  John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] -- The Amplified. Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ours is the God of endurance and encouragement (Rom. 15:5).

Then they told him to get up! Ephesians 6:13 tells us to stand. (in the Greek, To stand immovable and firm. In place. Ready and prepared. Safe. One who does not hesitate or waiver.) In Jesus, we have nothing to fear. We can get up. We can respond to His call. Isaiah 51:12 "I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass…  1 John 4:4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.  1 John 5:4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith.  Ephesians 6:16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;

He is calling you! God is a personal God. We – you and I – each of us, has to respond to His call. You can’t rely on your parents’ faith to get you into heaven. It has to be yours. God is calling you. He is offering a personal relationship to you.                                                                                                   So Bartimaeus got up right away and ran to Jesus. Run to Him! Like the father of the prodigal son, He is always there. He is ready and waiting to receive you. He told him he wanted his sight and Jesus gave it to him. His faith had made him whole. 

Believe that God can do the impossible. Believe Who He is. Call out. Tell Him what you need. Don’t give up. Listen. He’s calling you. Get up and run to Him. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of sympathy (pity and mercy) and the God [Who is the Source] of every comfort (consolation and encouragement), Who comforts (consoles and encourages) us in every trouble (calamity and affliction), so that we may also be able to comfort (console and encourage) those who are in any kind of trouble or distress, with the comfort (consolation and encouragement) with which we ourselves are comforted (consoled and encouraged) by God. -Amplified.


On another note, Jeanette shared her blog with us, and we wanted to share it with you. The Lord is teaching her much... and she's seeking to bless and encourage others through her writings. 

sweet summertime

Reviving Etiquette

notes from Summer Gathering

Kind. Sweet. Polite. Graceful. Pure. Refined. Modest. Thoughtful. Sensitive. Christ-like.

“Our goal is to put others at ease so they can enjoy their meal and our company”-Emily Post

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice- the kind He will accept. When you think of what He has done for you, is it too much to ask? (see Romans 12:1-2)

~ Boredom is dangerous - Beth Moore ~

I must decrease so He can increase, John 3:30. Let God take the wheel. don't be a control freak- they have fits, but they do not have fun! don't control every bit of the Abundance out of your life. let the wind of the Spirit blow your hairsprayed hair! you're not the one driving... it's gonna be a wild ride (Beth Moore).

All the flowers of tomorrow are in the seeds that we sow today! (unknown author)

We’re here to reflect His beauty, to shine! (Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven, Matthew 5:16). You are an heiress! a princess. a daughter of the King. Live like it! (...leaving us an example, that we should follow in His steps,1 Peter 2:21) -Follow in His steps!

It is remarkable how great an influence our clothes have on our moral state - Anatole France

Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall. - Oliver Wendell Holmes

On Being a Lady – by Mrs. Emily Post "The attributes of a great lady may still be found in the rule of the four S's: Sincerity, Simplicity, Sympathy, and Serenity."

Sincerity: honest, pure.

Simplicity: the state of being simple, uncomplicated, lack of folly or silliness, innocent

Sympathy: what affects another affects you, loyalty, sharing in others’ feelings

Serenity: clear and free of storms or unpleasant change! Unruffled repose. Peaceful.

such a fun evening together, complete with chocolate :)

Our Goal:

to bring glory to Jesus Christ!

happy summer :)

O the deep, deep love of Jesus

Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free,

Rolling as a mighty ocean

In its fullness over me.

The love of Jesus is without limit and without end. You are loved!

that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge... Ephesians 3

Take your candle... Go light your world!

A small candle is significant in a dark room.

In fact, the darker the room, the brighter the candle.

An old Indian fable tells the story of a businessman who came to retirement age and

wanted to leave his business to one of his two sons. He could not determine which

deserved most to inherit his work, and so he devised an unusual test. He gave each of

them a coin, with instructions to buy something that would fill the family’s house.

The coin was small, but the house was large. The task seemed impossible. Nonetheless,

the older brother set out immediately for the market. He soon discovered that the

cheapest material he could buy was straw. So he purchased all the straw his coin could

buy and carted it home. Unfortunately, he could cover only half the rooms of the house

with it.

The younger brother knew that for this unusual test, unusual wisdom would be needed.

He thought long and hard about his plan, and set out for the market just as his older

brother was returning with his cartload of straw. When he came back, he had a small

package under his arm. His brother ridiculed him: “I couldn’t fill the house with all the straw I could buy; what

can you possibly do with that tiny box?” The younger brother said nothing. He took from

his box several small candles. He placed a candle in each room of the house. And when

he had lit them all, the house was filled with light.

One candle at a time, we can take the Light of the world to everyone Jesus came to save.

Will you light a candle in the room where you live?

a bit of encouragement

learn to run to God for your emotional comfort!

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 3:16