Glory of God and the Dead

 

John 11:17-44……………...17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

 

21 Then Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 24 Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" 27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."   NKJV

 

28 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you." 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there."

 32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." 33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!" 37 And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?"

 

38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."

 

40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying.

 

And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."  

A favorite passage of mine. It is a favorite of the power of Jesus revealing God's glory!

Seen in Mark 9:1-2: And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power." Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.

Jesus tells them they will see the Kingdom of God present with power, and within a week they see Him transfigured. His being revealed to them in glory was a demonstration of the power of God's Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God had come upon them. Jesus was and is the central figure. Taking it a step further.....where the King abides in any person, you or me, where a person is in Christ, the Kingdom is also present.

 

John records, "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11). Jesus stood  before His own and they knew Him not.

The gospel message was not popular. It bore fruit in those who were being called (Isaiah 55:11). Others hoped that the kingdom of Judah would be restored, and they were probably content to wait and watch this Man as He went about—as curiosity-seekers rather than opponents. However, for those who had a vested interest in maintaining the political and religious status quo, the gospel was seen as a threat, and those linked with the Kingdom of Jesus Christ were the object of all manner of resistance and persecution, both before and especially after His death. It holds true through this day and hour!

In verse 40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"

The power of Jesus in the Kingdom of God found in people willing to participate there. Odd, a cemetery....yet here Jesus told them to take away the stone from the place Lazarus, the dead man was lying.

Take away the stone....remove a stony heart from those still alive but lacking faith in the truth Jesus spoke!

And then Jesus spoke this:And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."  

He spoke in relationship to the Father. Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.  He spoke loudly so others could hear Him speaking to the Father of glory. Those who held positions of religiosity, those who held to know God but only held a world view, Jesus spoke loudly. He wanted people to hold faith in their hearts....He crying out.....with a loud voice....."Lazarus, come forth!" 

And Lazarus came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes. He came forth. He, Jesus then spoke, " Loose him and let him go."

Those angry at this event of raising the "dead" would head into Jerusalem, and tell many what had happened. Heretics would run wild with loose lips about the Lord.  Jesus stayed in Bethany. He had time with Lazarus and then ultimately would Jesus make His way to Jerusalem.

Loose him and let him go. Loose him you spirit of death. Loose him....light and power of God's word was given....and power broke the bondage of death loose. The man Lazarus walked out!

Jesus gave these words in Matthew 23:13: "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in." Some were then in the process of entering the Kingdom, and the resistance and oppression of the scribes and Pharisees were obstacles to that entrance. John 9:22 records that "the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue." The scribes and Pharisees, as well as those influenced by them, persecuted those God was drawing into His Kingdom. There was such animosity that the King Himself suffered the most awful violence that has ever been perpetrated: a mob of creatures wantonly crucifying their sinless Creator.

1.   Today even nominal Christians suffer Muslim persecution in one part of the world, while others are blocked, ridiculed, and constrained by secularists and humanists in another. True Christianity is denounced as being heretical and cultic, and its adherents suffer violence in various ways. This violence does not have to be physical violence. It can be verbal. It can be passive. It can be persecution or opposition in any number of ways.

2.  College campuses are overflowing with those who choose the persecutors over the those who have chosen life in Jesus.

3.   Do we believe but are unwilling to accept His offer of life? John 5:40

Wherever the spirit of Satan is present, his children make the way difficult for those who are in Christ Jesus or those who are being drawn to Him. They reject the royal law of the Kingdom and ridicule God's sovereignty. They sneer at His inspired Word. The violence that the Kingdom suffers will vary by degrees, but it is found wherever the ruler of this world has influence. There will always be some Pharisees and Sadducess. There will be kings and leaders who bow to idols, but light is to shine in the darkness. And light shined that day outside of Bethany. Light came in with the presence of God, and the Lord spoke with glory. 

Will we speak with glory? Times are changing. Those prepared are prayed up, have worded up and stand ready. They hear the quiet voice of God and declare loudly the word of God that sets captives free. Hear and Obey, the Lord is returning ......

                                              Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

Uphill with Jesus Christ: The Witness that Glorifies God

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Teaching at: Life Giving Wells

Deceit and Deception

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Committed to Life

1 John 5:14-16     NKJV  14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

John 11:38-44  NKJV  38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days." 40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."

Having confidence that we have in Him…..asking anything according to His will, His word….He hears us…..that…..whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions, that we ask…..In that confidence….yes spending time in His word that speaks to us, we hear it declare to us what we have right now…..and it declares who we are and what is His plan according to that word!

Going to Lazarus, His friend who lies dead in a tomb…..and the professional paid mourners are on the scene. Yes the crowd is growing as they near the tomb. And then Jesus speaks above the noise, that fervor over death. And among those present He speaks loudly, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me, and I know that YOU have heard Me, and I know that You always hear Me…..but because of these people who are standing here I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me,” Now when He had spoken these things, He cried with a loud voice….”Lazarus, come forth!” And Lazarus walks out….still bound hand and foot with grave clothes and his face was not seen. But the dead man walked out alive. Jesus said, “Loose him and let him go.”

Getting a firm foundation is imperative for us to live the way Jesus did here on earth! We are to speak and believe just as He spoke. We are to speak to situations and circumstances and believe God has gone before us and prepared a smooth path for us to walk. It is a dry place where high waters are held back by His powerful hands that allows us His children to move forward for His plan and to His glory.

May we speak with a faith confession that is established by prayer and commitment of heart to hearing God speak His will to us by His word for us. Knowing what the Father’s desire is for a situation is that which brings dead things to life and give them legs to move. Be committed to keep your eyes on His faithfulness, look to His goodness and have a heart set on Who HE Is to you in the valley.

For when we look for life, we will find it….and it will look like and sound like Jesus!

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Good Shepherd: Is it Resounding In Us

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To Be Divinely Inspired: Continuing in the Gospel in the Face of Increased Evil

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Modern Stone Age Family

Are setting up our "kids" to live in a place that is of rocks, and stones?

Some might remember this: Flintstone's meet the Flintstone's ...they are the modern stone age family, you know from the town of Bedrock, they are that place right out of history. I heard that history repeats itself.
Yes, Shelley but this is just a cartoon show, right? Yes but how people today insist on casting stones, whether they live within this country or without, they seem to let it all hang out, with every type of attitude of defiance possible. Even the costumes seen from that very show seem to indicate a representation of the things Wilma Flintstone and Betty Rubble wore are seen in some who entertain like the music industry in today's culture. Yikes!


Jesus came to roll the stones away! He came to move people out of the dust bowl society and stone throwing to set captives free. He came to show us what we needed to be set free from!

John 11:17-44………NKJV ……...17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

21 Then Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 24 Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" 27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."   

28 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you." 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there."

 32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." 33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!" 37 And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?"

38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."

40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying.

And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."  

There were many things going on in this region when Lazarus had died. And two women had wondered why Jesus had not appeared. Each had a response about meeting Him.

First we find Martha speaking this from John 11: 21 Then Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 24 Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" 27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."   

Martha knew of the resurrection on the last day, and when she ran to meet Jesus, she did not bow before Him. Did she not notice He carried the very presence of God?

Next we look at Mary: John 11: 32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." 33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!" 37 And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?"

Oh yes, Jesus certainly love them and loves them today! Jesus spoke with Mary and she too gave a response to His arrival>>>>.. "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

Sooner or later we must move out of the stone age where stones are thrown at people and live in faith as the Lord has directed us to live. Mary knelt at the presence of God in Jesus. Can you see the difference?

People today put their children in a place of bondage trying to keep them so to speak in a safe environment, and yet create places that only bring the grown child into rejection and in some cases abandonment. For most it is represented by the "fear factor"!

People so fear for their children they will not allow them to get a driver's license just because of a health issue, will not allow them to get job because of health issue, but the same parent's will give the child a front row seat as to where the parent wants the child to go. Where the parent decides best suits the parent without regard for the child that they are human, created by God and should not be kept as pets!  Children in some cases are caged like an animal. They are caged by words of the parent's pride when they implement themselves as judge and jury over every and all situations in regards to the child or children.

I speak from experience for my husband and I had done that at one time. Our daughter had been diagnosed with asthma at the age of eight. And it seemed like over time working to keeping all the meds and her health in check for good was in itself another job for me to do. Although my husband was present, still I was the "person" who worried. Not a good thing to do! 

But like my husband said when our daughter was about to turn 15 that we had to allow her to live. She wanted to work and we let her work as long as her grades remained really good. And they did! We allowed her the great privilege of getting her license  to drive a car and learn some responsibility of taking care of herself in that weapon called an automobile. She learned to care for the engine under the hood. She learned how to work with others, draw a paycheck and become a responsible individual. She grew from a child, to a teenager to a young adult. She attended college and got her degree. She also continued to work and not live off others. So also learned from God's word how to put His truth at the place where asthma had been spoken. 

If we are creating danger zones for our kids demanding they obey us as we know more about their sickness, their dilemma, then we are limiting God, and danger for the child or teen!

Every decision should only occur when the truth of God is revealed !  For they should have known how to be responsible by taking out the trash at age eight. They should know how to wash a dish if they dirty one. They should know they must work if they desire to eat. They should know how to sort clothing to wash by their high school years.

But alas, some people resort to creating their lives over again in their children. I hope we are not doing that ever. Our children should live for that life God intended and not by some Mama's rule or Daddy's rule that they the child cannot do something because they are diabetic or they have heart issues, they are autistic or they have or were born premature and weakly and must take life at a gentle pace of motion and movement through their life without disrupting anyone else or anything else.

Jesus certainly disrupted the religious folk of His day and they were casting stones in that day. They wanted to push Him on a cliff....yeah, some people, right?

If a parent, then we should know that our child or children are not separated from the love of Christ. He came to give His life for them. And to prevent them from learning something of life at the different ages then at age 21 we  then wonder why they are still at home, why are they not holding a job and they still desire to be with us every moment of every day. Because they were not allowed to see through God's eyes that which God intended because Mama or Daddy said!

They were kept from driving a car, dating and working. Kept from really reaching their full potential because of Mama's or Daddy' fear factor for life. Like daddy left us when we were babies, and Mama died when we were 12 or 14 years of age. Then the person now raises their kids in same manner....to repeat history of daddy leaving, Mama dying and abandonment.

Because if the child is not taught a real structure that is of God, the stones will crumble. The foundation is not strong, and the child becoming an adult will now resent the Mama who wants to put them out, resent and will feel abandoned by the Mama's or Daddy's doing.

Father , who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than a conqueror through Him who loves us (Romans 8:35,37)

 Lord, may our children not be conformed to our image but YOUR'S. In our act of spiritual worship, You call us to not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, not to the modern stone age family, no, you call us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. That we will be able to test and approve what Your will is. Your good, pleasing and perfect will is for us to know. (Romans 12:1-2

Father, today I pray for parents who have teenage children to repent of their ways that is far from You and may they receive wisdom how their children should be supported to go out as adults and live for God. For Your Word tells us that anyone who trusts in You will never be put to shame. (Romans 10:11)

Father may we always receive the Message, but Your Message is better than anything. May we run after Your truth, and seek You while You may be found. Though we are in the world we are not of it! The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have power to demolish strongholds. Your power can demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of You, God and take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) Enable us Lord! Help us not just to read it and say it, but believe it and do it! Amen!!

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

To KEEP Us ALIVE

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New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

Those Who Consider the Poor

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