Today’s 333 Devotional: “State Our Faith”

We need to clarify and what we’re asking God to do, and then state it. A secret faith is a shallow faith, because if nobody knows what we believe then we can back out it at any time.

But why did Jesus ask what Bartimaeus wanted? He’s blind and begging. The need’s obvious, and besides, Jesus already knew. So why ask?

Jesus was doing it for Bartimaeus’s benefit. He was allowing Bartimaeus to announce his faith.

In essence Bartimaeus was saying, “I believe You are the Son of God, and I believe you have the power to heal and change me.” Bartimaeus stated his faith.

Jesus is asking us “What do you want Me to do for you?” How would we answer?

God wants to bless and to change our lives. He wants to do incredible things.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3:20)

The key is that we have to ask; we have to state our faith and believe.

Jesus said, “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (Matthew 21:22)

The one qualifier, however, involves God’s will. We don’t know what the future holds, therefore, when we ask, we need to make sure we ask for God’s will to be done. This was part of Jesus’ prayer.

“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

In His prayer at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42)

The Apostle James said, “Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’” (James 4:15)

We cannot predict the future, so we need to be careful not to be presumptuous, but it doesn’t mean we’re not to ask.

Bartimaeus said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”