Sometimes it takes more...

Mark 10:46-52 Bartimaeus

Mk. 10:46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his

disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.

47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

*He didn't know what circumstances he might face, what might happen to him, but he was determined to do all that was in his power to get Jesus' attention!

49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.

50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.

51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.

52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

*If Bartimaeus hadn't cried out, would he have been healed? No one else was healed, no one else caused Jesus to 'stand still'! Jesus would still have passed thru Jericho - He would have been that close! Sometimes it takes more to get God's attention.. Bartimaeus showed his faith by his effort.

Luke 19:1-6 Zacchaeus

Lu. 19:1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way

5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

*Because of Zacchaues' desire to see this man that everyone was talking about, he received more that he expected - he received salvation!

Luke 19:9 > And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house...

Luke 5:3-7 Great Catch of Fish

3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of

fishes: and their net brake.

7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

*Peter was a fisherman, he knew how to fish; he had done all he knew to do to catch fish , most likely, exhausted from working hard all night without rest. But because he trusted the Word of the Lord & made the extra effort - he was rewarded!

Mark 5:25-34 Woman with an Issue

Mk. 5:25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.

33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

*This woman had nowhere else to turn, but when she 'heard' about

Jesus, she believed & pushed herself to the limit so that she might get close enough just to touch some small part of His clothes. She had already determined in her heart that if she could just get to Him, she would be healed. Remember, she had 'heard' about Him, about His mercy, His healings, His compassion. Some may have looked on her with scorn, maybe even tried to push her away. Satan will try to push us away from Jesus, by causing us to doubt, to feel unworthy, or foolish, even causing us to fear if we will allow him to.

*We have the power to resist him, if we hold onto our faith in Christ >

1 Pet. 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith...

1 Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable

Heb 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;