This article is written by Kris Swiatocho, with The Singles Network Ministries, and you can find the whole presentation here, and this comes by way of “Online Bible Study – New Testament and Old Testament Studies.” This lesson has to do with,“The Men in Christ’s Life: Blind Bartimaeus.”
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Once more… before you begin, I ask if you will pray that the Lord would open your hearts and minds to receive the deeper truths of the spirit in your lives. You may begin and may God bless you richly.
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My stepfather is only one example of a man who has impacted my life as a result of his relationship with Christ. Throughout this series, I want to share with you about some of the other men who have impacted my life solely because of their relationship with Jesus. I believe as I share that you, too, will connect with them and discover for yourself how God has always had a plan for you, is working it out in your life and will never leave you.

How is your life? Are you fulfilled? Are you getting everything out of it you have wanted to? Is your life turning out the way you thought it would be?

There have been times in my life where I never have seemed to get it. Times I have lived the same way day to day but expected a different result. Times that I spent just enough time with others, gave of myself just enough, spent time with my family just enough and gave to God just enough. But what is enough?

For myself, I am not ready to live a life where I am content that what I am giving God is enough. Am I content as a single adult? Yes, I am really content where God has me … even if I do get lonely, frustrated and confused by his direction. But this isn’t the contentment I am talking about. I am talking about content with my part of this journey God has me on. No, I am not content and I will tell you why.

Bartimaeus was a blind man living in Jericho. He would sit along the road, day after day, doing the same thing and basically getting the same result. Probably enough change to just get by. Now, could Bartimaeus stay there for the rest of his life? Sure, and more than likely he would continue to get just enough based on his efforts. And this enough would feed and clothe him. But Bartimaeus decided he didn’t want to stay where he was. He wasn’t content with where he was. He wanted his life to be different. Bartimaeus not only prayed for his life to be different, but he yelled it from the mountain tops. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

When is the last time you really wanted your life to change? I mean, really change. No, I am not talking about the 911 Christian behavior where you cry out to God only when you are in trouble. Bartimaeus wasn’t in any trouble, no more than normal. But the one thing Bartimaeus was, that most of are not, is we are never quiet enough to hear God when He is near. Near enough to us because we are walking with Him—daily, hour by hour, minute by minute. Close enough to hear his breathing, to know his footsteps, to know his voice. Near enough to know when to ask for real help, because you have made a real decision to change.

Right now, as I am writing this, I am at my own crossroads yet again. As most of my readers may know, I am a diabetic, type 2. I have gone up and down over the years with my sugars. I do well for a while, only to slide back into old patterns. I love to eat. I love the social aspect of eating, not to mention the variety of all the foods God has made. But my diabetes, without continuous management, could literally lead to my own blindness not to mention death.

But now, I am where Bartimaeus is. I am ready to not only listen to God, but also to jump to my feet with a joyful heart because He is going to heal me. Does this mean my diabetes could go away instantly? Sure, if it is Jesus’ will. But for me, I believe the journey of learning to eat right with exercise is the only way that will lead to a lifestyle change. A lifestyle that can guarantees success, so that one day I can say I am not a diabetic. One day I will be cured from my own blindness.

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

— Mark 10:46-52
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Scripture… you can find this listed here and then refer to it as you’d like to. I do hope it helps you out and then gains you some insight of our blindness we truly have, if we don’t have Jesus in our lives.
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I chose this lesson because of two reasons, 1) there is an alarming amount of people in this country, alone, that have this same problem with Diabetes and 2) my wife is among them. It is an issue both near and dear to my own heart and with dire impact. There is also another reason I chose this lesson… most of us get way to complacent in our lives and would hold on to what we have, what we do and who we know without a second thought to the notion that we might be doing it wrong. I have found this to be so true, even in my own life, but to risk for the love of life… is to step away from what we know to want better for our lives than we have. In the case of Bartimaeus… he took a chance… he wanted and desired more from his life than he had… more than he knew and knew he would find it in Christ Jesus. Such as the story goes… to be blind in this life but desire to see… isn’t this like we are without Jesus in our lives… blinded by our own sight of this life- and we believe we have it so right… and how wrong we can be by arriving at that conclusion. Until next time…

Your Brother in Christ Jesus,

Russ