TOPIC: DIVINE TURNAROUND
MEMORIZE:
l cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.
Psalm 3:4
READ: Mark 10:46-52
46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
MESSAGE
In 1963. when the late Nnamdi Azikiwe (popularly called Zik) was Governor General of Nigeria, he visited Ondo town. At that time, I was a teacher at Ondo Boys' High School. Because the governor was going to be passing by, the whole town lined the route. I was standing behind an elderly man who was also a teacher at the school. As Zik was driving by in an open car, somehow, he spotted this elderly teacher in the crowd. Immediately, he stopped the motorcade, came down from the car, and stood before the old man. I don't know exactly what they said to each other, but the old man began to cry. Eventually, we discovered that the old man was a teacher at the secondary school Zik attended and was responsible for his expulsion from the school.
God can turn things around for you such that when enemies come, you will say to them, "See what the Lord has done." When the Lord turned the story of the Israelites around after they cried to Him, the Egyptians, who hated them, gave them everything they asked for.
And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians. Exodus 12:36
I can imagine some of the Israelites going to knock on the doors of the slave masters who had been beating them, demanding their favorite clothes and shoes. The slave masters didn't have any choice but to grant their requests because God had stepped into the picture to turn things around for His people.
Bartimaeus was born blind, and for years, he had been sitting on a highway begging for alms. However, one day, as he sat as usual, Jesus came along. Bartimaeus knew that Jesus was the key to his turnaround, so he began to cry for help. As he shouted, people shouted at him to keep quiet. Thankfully, Bartimaeus didn't obey them. Instead, he cried louder until Jesus attended to him. When Jesus called for him, those who told him to keep quiet were the same ones who said, "...Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee" (Mark 10:46-52).
Beloved, how hungry are you for a divine turnaround? If you really want one, you will yearn to get Jesus' attention, just as Bartimaeus did. Don't stop crying out to Him in faith; He is faithful and loving, and He will surely turn things around for your good.
KEY POINT
God turns things around for those who draw close to Him.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 32-34
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 25: THE GREAT PHYSICIAN NOW IS HERE
1 The Great Physician now is near,
The sympathizing Jesus;
He speaks the drooping heart to cheer,
Oh, hear the voice of Jesus!
Refrain
Sweetest note in seraph song;
Sweetest name on mortal tongue;
Sweetest carol ever sung:
Jesus, blessed Jesus!
2 Your many sins are all forgiv’n,
Oh, hear the voice of Jesus;
The veil ’twixt you and God is riven,
Redemption wrought by Jesus.
3 All glory to the dying Lamb!
I now believe in Jesus;
love the blessed Savior’s name,
I love the name of Jesus.
4 His name dispels my guilt and fear,
No other name but Jesus;
Oh, how my soul delights to hear
The precious name of Jesus!
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