'What do you want me to do for you?' Jesus asked him.
Mark 10:51

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I'll pray today for...
* My spouse
* My children
* Their friends
* My friends
* My employer
* My city
* My country
* Civic leaders
* Schools
* Teachers

* The sick
* The lost
* Those in despair
* The hospitalized
* The grieving
* Widows
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* My church
* My pastor
* Church leaders
* Other churches
* Persecuted church
* Missionaries
* Myself

As Jesus and his followers were leaving Jericho, they encountered a blind beggar by the side of the road. Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus over the protests of some who told him to be quiet. His desperation however, was more fervent than that of his naysayers. The louder they threatened him, the louder he yelled until Jesus took notice and invited him to come over to him. Today would be the day of Bartimaeus' deliverance from his prison of darkness.

Allow me to point out several significant things about this incident. 1) The persistence of Bartimaeus got the Lord's attention; 2) well-meaning people attempted to prevent him from making an appeal to Jesus; 3) Jesus asked him to get up, using whatever means he could to come to him. Jesus did not go to him; 4) Jesus asked him what he wanted. That is, Bartimaeus had to ask the Lord to do something in his life; 5) his faith healed him immediately and 6) Afterward his experience, he followed Jesus and 7) he proclaimed what God had done for him everywhere he went, probably as loud as his plea to Jesus to have mercy on him.

Jesus said that is was Bartimaeus' faith that healed him (Vs. 52). Looking at the seven things above, please tell me which one, if any, was the expression of faith that in your opinion brought an answer to his prayer? If you answer, 'All seven," you're correct. Now let's bring it home as it relates to how we should pray.

When we pray, we should 1) Be persistent; 2) not be deterred by naysayers, 3) take action on what God's Word says, 4) tell God our inner thoughts and heart desire; 5) expect God to do something when we ask him; 6) follow Himd resolutely when he does and 7) testify of what He did in our life to everyone who will listen.

Did you hear that! I think I heard the Holy Spirit asking you something. Listen again and tell me if you hear it? There it is again. Did you hear it that time? I think He whispered, 'What do you want me to do for you?'

Now you know the background to James 4:2 You don't have what you need because you will not tell God what you want Him to do for you. However, in a strange way, I guess you really got what you asked for after all. You got nothing because you asked for nothing!

1 Developed from Read the Bible Thru ( Lv. 25:47-27:13 Mk. 10:32-52 Ps. 45:1-17 Pr. 10:22 )
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society

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