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What Was In That Mud?

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John 9:1-25

[1] And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
[2] And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
[3] Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
[4] I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
[5] As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
[6] When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
[7] And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
[8] The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
[9] Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.
[10] Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
[11] He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
[12] Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
[13] They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
[14] And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
[15] Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
[16] Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
[17] They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
[18] But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
[19] And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
[20] His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
[21] But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
[22] These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
[23] Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
[24] Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.
[25] He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

So what is in this mystery of the healing of this blind man? Blind from birth, this man had never known sight. This means everything that sight would give you he never experienced or possessed. All of the good or bad, all of life’s splendor, all of life’s shame, none of it.

In one perspective you can see the man’s lack of sight to life in the same way that you see that we are blinded to the sin that keeps us without a vision to change.

1 – The poor blind man could not see Jesus, but Jesus could see him.

2-3 – Jesus speaks to his blindness that this and other things are not just because someone sinned but are for the glory of God.

4-5 We must learn to do as Jesus said and work the day and not waste time. For in our time we should be resting our work cannot be accomplished. You can walk away and not work while it is day but when you need to rest the works that would have brought peace leave you restless.

John 1:1-3

[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
[2] The same was in the beginning with God.
[3] All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

6-7 – Human reason cannot judge of the Lord’s methods. God will use the things that we as people despise. I do not know about you but if I were blind the last sound I would want to hear is someone spitting! So such is our attitude towards God regarding our blessings.

He went to the pool wondering and came back seeing. Souls go weak and come back with strength. People go doubting and come back satisfied, go mourning and come back rejoicing, go blind and come back seeing!

8-24 – Jesus’ commandment to the blind man is a representation of how we follow the command of the Holy Spirit. We do not know from where and whence it comes as it is referred to in the word as being likened unto the wind. Jesus used something that was an offense to the unbelieving and religious to teach about the powerful effects of the gospel.

25 – This blind man defied the fear of men and only offered to their anger what he received in faith. Whether he is a sinner or no I know not. What I do know whereas I was blind but now I see. This is the same fight that we fight today.

Proverbs 29:23,25

[23] A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
[24] Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.
[25] The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

Do not let what people make you fear keep you from doing the good work while your life is day (while you still can!)

What Do I Do Now?

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It seems like now more than ever that people are dealing with trials that are far bigger than they ever imagined, and along with that bears the sole fact that we have to go through things practically alone. In the days we live in, you can literally see the frustration and toil that these kinds of things have on others, and it makes you wonder what they are going to do to get out of the tough situations.

Everywhere that I turn my eyes, I continually see defeat and discouragement. Everyone that I listen to only seems to speak of how bad things are. Every action that I see taken around me always seems to be only for being able to just get by. All the while I wonder where the joy of people has gone. All the more questioning why things are the way that they are, as well as why things have to be so hard on others.

Ultimately, I find that when you and I are in these difficult places that it is THEN that we need to recognize who it is we put our trust in. Several verses from the bible come to mind when I try to think of things that inspire me about my difficult trials.

Acts 2:36-39 reads:

[36] Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
[37] Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
[38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
[39] For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

John 6:28-29 says:

[28] Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
[29] Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

After reading these verses, this tells me to believe in Jesus, for it is the works of God. All the blessings can come and be unlocked in your life, when you start it all with the belief that you can reach them. Then, you won’t find yourself saying, “What do I do now?”, and instead you can say with faith and belief that “I’m doing God’s work, and I know that I am going to make it from what I am going through!” Don’t let the enemy persuade you to be idle and still, nor to let anything hinder you from speaking to all of the things that you want to change. I share with you today, quite possibly my personal favorite bible verse of all time.

Philippians 3:13-15 tells us:

[13] Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
[14] I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
[15] Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

It is in reading these lines that remind me so often that where I am in God that there is no stopping place. The trials of life do not stop for anyone, or anything. God does not stop moving in your life either. He is in a constant motion, always ahead of you, going out and making your way blessed. If we can just strive and be determined to have the question “What do I do now” change to “What can I do for you, God?”, I can guarantee that you are on your way to the best outcome for your life, for the promises of God are yea and amen.

Take what we have said today, and rise out of your own ashes. Get up out of your discouragement, and take back charge of your life again. Encourage yourself daily, with simply just knowing that the victory is ahead of you. You might not see it, nor feel it close by, but just have the faith to know its coming! I encourage each and every one of you this day! God Bless all of you!