Importunity | Faith & Sight | Bartimaeus & Jesus

Hey there BCU Fam!

For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

Podcast highlights:

KJV Scripture references

Luke 18:35-43
 35 And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:

36 And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.

37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.

38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.

39 And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.

40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him,

41 Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.

42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.

BCUFam, Bartimaeus did what was needed to get the attention of Jesus—and that was cry out in faith and persistence until he was in the presence of the Lord. And Bartimaeus received a double blessing—– not only did he receive his sight, he went on to become a follower of Jesus! When we go to Jesus with a heart of importunity, we can expect the Lord to answer our prayers by giving us all that we need, and maybe a little (or a lot) extra! Amen? Amen! Let’s pray!

Father, in the name of Jesus, as we come before You, we thank You as always, for encouraging us to continue coming to You in prayer. There are some of us who are have been asking for certain things for a long time, Lord. Because we know we are to pray and not faint, we know You are able, we know that it is our faith that pleases You, we continue to bring our requests to You for help, deliverance, healing or whatever blessing someone needs today. Above all, we pray that someone realizes that they need You as a Savior, and will surrender to You TODAY, Jesus according to Acts 2:38-29. Glory to God!

As we continue to come to You in persistent prayer we will also continue to serve You and give You all the praise, glory and honor that is due Your name! In Jesus Name, we pray, Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, X, and Instagram. 

Also, if you so inclined, join us for our Thursday Night Bible Study––-we are LIVE on Facebook, at 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform BCU is available on. Some of those mediums include Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and many more of your favorite podcast platforms!

Thank you SO much for stopping by. God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

BlenCouragesU1 Comment

Importunity | The Widow x The Unjust Judge

Hey there BCU Fam!

For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

Podcast highlights:

KJV Scripture references

Luke 18:1-8
18 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?

BCUFam, sometimes God doesn’t answer our prayers right away, but that doesn’t mean we stop asking. If a corrupt judge can be moved by a persistent widow, how much more will our righteous God do for His very elect (chosen) as we call on Him in faith and importunity? With the help of the Lord, we will keep praying, knowing that the Lord is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6) Amen? Amen! Let’s pray about it!

Father, in the name of Jesus, as we come before You, we thank You for the parable of the unjust judge and widow reminding us to come to You in faith and importunity. We thank You for answering our petitions and avenging us according to Your will and timing.

As we continue to come to You in persistent prayer we will also continue to serve You and give You all the praise, glory and honor that is due Your name! In Jesus Name, we pray, Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, X, and Instagram. 

Also, if you so inclined, join us for our Thursday Night Bible Study––-we are LIVE on Facebook, at 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform BCU is available on. Some of those mediums include Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and many more of your favorite podcast platforms!

Thank you SO much for stopping by. God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

BlenCouragesU2 Comments

BCU Word Study: “Importunity”

Hey there BCU Fam!

For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

Podcast highlights:

  • I love vocabulary and word etymology (the history of a word or phrase shown by tracing its development and relationship).
  • When studying the Bible, it’s important to get an understanding of the original text (Hebrew|Old Testament or Greek| New Testament).
  • In doing so, we can better comprehend the meaning and see how we can apply it to our daily lives.
  • The Greek word for importunity is anaídeia, meaning no shame, without embarrassment, even when others cry “overdone” (i.e. accuse them of being extreme or excessive).
  • The people of God can come to Him in prayer boldly and without feeling uneasy or awkward, because our good, good Father loves us and will answer our prayers.

KJV Scripture references

Luke 11:1-13
11 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Matthew 18:21-35

21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

BCUFam, are you feeling as encouraged as I am? It is SO comforting to know that we can boldly go to the throne of grace to obtain help in a time of need (Hebrews 4:16). God does not shame or punish us for asking for what we need——He WANTS us to come to Him with whatever is on our hearts. Now, we also must remember that because God is wisdom and is all-knowing, if what we are asking for isn’t good for us, He will let us know. Hearing a “no” can hurt our feelings (whoooooo, ask me how I know), AND can save us from getting stones, serpents and scorpions. So with the help of the Lord, let’s ask, seek, knock and look for Him to provide the perfect answer according to His will and way. Amen? Amen! Let’s pray about it!

Father, in the name of Jesus, as we come before You, we thank You for the Word of God that has refreshed our souls! We thank You for reminding us that we can come to You in prayer with all of our concerns, situations, thoughts and feelings, without shame or worry, knowing that You will answer our prayers according to Your will and timing. Above all, we thank You for the gift of the Holy Ghost and, for blessing someone today to repent, be baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost so they can experience the goodness that can only come from a relationship with You! In Jesus Name we pray, Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, X, and Instagram. 

Also, if you so inclined, join us for our Thursday Night Bible Study––-we are LIVE on Facebook, at 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform BCU is available on. Some of those mediums include Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and many more of your favorite podcast platforms!

Thank you SO much for stopping by. God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

BlenCouragesU3 Comments

Same Instructions, Different Day.

Hey there BCU Fam!

For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording (click here or on the BCU avatar below) and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post!

Podcast highlights:

  • A couple of years ago, I posted a podcast about how a thoughtless customer jumped front of me in line, and how the Lord instructed me to handle the offense.
  • Recently, I went to the same service provider for routine maintenance, and the SAME thing happened!
  • What lesson did the Lord want to teach me this time?

Scripture references:

James 1:19-20

19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Ecclesiastes 3:1;7

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak

Ephesians 4:15;26

 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

   Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Proverbs 15:1

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Romans 12:19

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

BCUFam, I had two opportunities to confront this person, but did not get the release to do so. Because grievous words stir up anger, my timing and current tone may have been the match that lit the fuse. Rather, I took things to the Lord in prayer and left them there. If God wants us to have a challenging conversation with someone, He will arrange the timing, wording and circumstances where things will turn out perfectly, because we serve a perfect God. Also, the Lord reminded me to pray for her according to Matthew 5:44-49. That should have been one of the first things I did, but with the help of the Lord, I’ll remember for next time. Aren’t we thankful for such a loving and forgiving God? Amen? Amen! Let’s pray!

Eternal God and Heavenly Savior, as we come before You in the name of Jesus, we thank You for the lesson and reminder to practice the pause before going into reaction mode. So many times, we have flown off the handle, done or said things that did not always reflect You, Lord and for that, we ask your forgiveness. And please help us, to recall Your words Jesus, as we interact with people and situations that may be challenging. We know that we can do all things through You that strengthens us! We thank You for your continued patience with us, as You mold us to become more like You, Lord. In Jesus name, we pray, Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Also, if you so inclined, join us for our Thursday Night Bible Study––-we are LIVE on Facebook, at 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform BCU is available on. Some of those platforms are Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and many more of your favorite podcast platforms!

Thank you SO much for stopping by! May God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

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Prayer “demands”

Here there BCU Family!

Typically, you have the option of listening to our podcast, reading the notes or both. For this post, because of the informal format, please tune into the podcast recording and refer to the written post for the highlights. We pray the post blesses and encourages you. If so, please thumbs up AND leave a comment! Thank you and enjoy the post.

Podcast highlights:

  • I was taught that when interacting with my parents, or authority figures, you answered and spoke with respect.
  • Demanding how and when we wanted something done in a loud tone was grounds for serious physical correction.
  • I saw a post from a friend of mine, who was pondering how we often “order God around” when we pray.
  • Are we authorized to tell God when and how we want things done?

KJV Scripture Reference

Philippians 4:6-7

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Acts 17:28

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Psalms 100:3

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

BCUFam, after pondering Dr. Sue’s post, while the Lord knows “what we mean” or the heart behind what we are telling Him, I thought about how much I dislike someone demanding something from me, without a hello, please or thank you. Moreover, with the help of the Lord, I like to make sure that when I ask for someone to do something for me, I treat that person with respect——with the proper manners, tone and gratitude. So, if we, who are made in God’s image do this amongst ourselves, then how MUCH MORE should we extend proper requests to the Lord who made the heavens and the Earth? The Everlasting Father whose breath He gives us every day? Our Lord and Savior, Jesus who lifts our heads and dries our tears? I could go on and on about how awesome Jesus is——but when we think of who He is, we should make our requests known to Him with the reverence and honor that the King of Kings deserves. Amen? Amen. Let’s pray about it!

Father in the name of Jesus, as we come before You, we want to start off with “thank You”. Thank You, Jesus, for Your provision, protection, Your loving-kindness, which is better than life! We bless and praise Your Holy Name and for the love You have for us, that will let us know when we are in error. And Lord, as we reflect on the podcast and are reminded of the times where we told You what to do, or demanded that You do something now, please forgive us, Lord Jesus.

For some of us who have had these “demands” sometimes we were angry, sad, frustrated, tired, stressed, agitated, desperate, or worried. Other times, though, we did feel like we “deserved” our request and wanted it now. In any case, once again, we thank You for forgiving us, and going forward, please help us, Jesus, to be mindful of how we approach and ask things of You. Please help us to remember it is You that have made us, and not we ourselves (Psalm 100:4). It is You, Jesus, who died and rose again for us! It is You Jesus, who gave many of us the gift of the Holy Ghost! It is in You Jesus, that we live, move and have our being——we cannot do anything without You! So we certainly have no claim to tell You what to do and how we want it done.

Instead, we will make our requests known unto You, through prayer, supplication and thanksgiving, and Your peace, which passes all understanding, will guide our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Thank You for helping us to come to You correctly, and help us to approach one another correctly as well, with our speech seasoned with salt, so that the people who are hearing us, see and hear You, Jesus. We thank You for this and all things, in Jesus Name, Amen!

As a reminder, if you have not subscribed to BlenCouragesU.com, please do so! It’s free and a good place to get the encouragement, inspiration and information based the Word of God! Additionally, you can also see what we are up to on Facebook, X,and Instagram. Also, if you so inclined, join us Thursday nights––we are LIVE on YouTube 8:05EST/7:05CST. You can also listen in and subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Pandora, and Spotify!

Thank you SO much for stopping by! God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU

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