A Secret Faith Is a Shallow Faith
By Rick Warren
“Jesus asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man answered, ‘Teacher, I want to see’ ” (Mark 10:51 NCV).
Go public with your goals in life! Announce your intention, the change you want to make in your life, what you’re asking God to do. Clarify what you really want, and then state it publicly. You need to tell everybody, because a secret faith is a shallow faith.
Mark 10:51 says, “Jesus asked him [Bartimaeus], ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man answered, ‘Teacher, I want to see’ ” (NCV).
Question: Why in the world did Jesus ask this? He walks over to a blind beggar who’s sitting on the ground by the road and asks, “What would you like me to do for you?” Didn’t he already know what the guy needed? Couldn’t Jesus read his mind? Didn’t he know what the guy’s problem was? Absolutely. So why in the world would Jesus look at him and ask, “What do you want me to do for you?”
He was doing it for Bartimaeus’ benefit. By asking that question, he allowed Bartimaeus to publicly announce his faith. Bartimaeus said, “I want you to heal me!” You don’t ask a guy to heal you unless you believe and have faith that he can do it. Bartimaeus was saying that he believed Jesus was who he said he was, that Jesus had the power to change him, and that Jesus would do just that. It was a statement of faith.
Here’s the amazing thing. Jesus asks you the very same question right now: “What do you want me to do for you?” He asks it every day, every morning. If Jesus Christ were to come to you right now and ask that question, how would you answer? God wants to use you. He wants to bless you. He wants to do incredible things in your life. But you have to ask in faith.
Did you know that every time you set a goal, it is actually a statement of faith? There is one qualifier: When you set a goal and say, “I’m going to do ‘this’ with my life,” you need to add the phrase “if it is God's will,” because you don’t know the future.
So announce your goal publicly. The more people who know, the more support, encouragement, prayer, and accountability you’ll have.
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Talk About It
What steps might you need to take to publicly declare your faith in Christ?
What goals will you set today that are a step of faith? How will you announce them publicly?
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Find courage to transform yourself and impact the world around you!
“Because of our faith in him we dare to have boldness, courage, and confidence in coming to God with freedom and without fear.” (Ephesians 3:12 AP)
Everything God does in your life, He does by His grace and through your faith. So if you want God to work through you to influence those around you, start by developing a deeper trust in Him!
Pastor Rick Warren shows you how in his Daring Faith Study Kit. As you explore the 6 faith-building sessions in this DVD Bible study, you’ll learn how to:
• Find the courage to leave your comfort zone
• Make a lasting difference in the lives of others
• Use generosity to change your life
• And more!
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This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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