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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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  

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

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Standing

Mary weeping for Jesus!

John 20:10-18 NKJV 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. 11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping; and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." 14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!" ( which is to say, Teacher)
17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me for I have not yet ascended to My Father but go to My brethren and say to them. I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God." 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

Crisis!
Are we still standing, when things do not go exactly like we planned? The persistent ones will continue to look but sometimes not at what the "real" is at the moment.
Mary was still looking into the "tomb".  That was the "real" to her at that moment in time.
Now she sees two angels seated at the place where Jesus was laid earlier. She sees them, one at the head and the other at the foot end of the stone cold slab.
And she weeps! Verse 13 gives us some detail: "woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him."

She was still looking for the "dead", and life appeared. Verse 15: "woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" And she supposing Him to the the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.
Mary, she turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!"

Life was still present. Jesus continued in life and that which was planned by the Father for good. Sometimes our focus is looking at what did not happen. Ever been in that place????
Yes, I was and for some time. Really do not like that I did but sometimes, we wonder and then meditate on something far too long. But Life appeared and He spoke to her.
Just because something does not appear to happen, we must not look back at the tomb, but look for the Life and speak to Him about what we know did not happen.
Closed doors does not mean it is over! Death could not hold Him down and it will not hold down that what we believe with an expectancy that God is for us and IS still working .........but we must BELIEVE and hold to that which the Lord has given us in our hearts.

Many commentaries write they could not explain why she did not recognize Him. I believe she carried the last image of His battered body, the torn skin and muscle and blood that stained. The most horrendous thing had happened to Jesus to whom she loved and she remembered. The tomb probably reminded her of that day and now she is searching. But Jesus spoke to her as He had at other times. The "teacher" is speaking and she receives His WORDS: :17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me for I have not yet ascended to My Father but go to My brethren and say to them. I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God." 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

She had understanding and it appeared in her character. She waited and watched! The other disciples went to their homes. But she watched!  She got to the deliver the message to the other disciples that Jesus was alive among them!

The Dake's Study Bible gives this:  love feels no load. Love revealed in the place of the tomb when one thinks on the good times together. But there is the other too, when one thinks it is all over, and please throw some more dirt on the "dead" thing. Yet, God says it is not over for the believer in Jesus. Because what you and I hold in our hearts, that is of faith and truth will rise when God gives the "go ahead "for no door is closed to those who seek.

Keep seeking, keep searching and knocking and it will be revealed to you for your best days are ahead in His name and to His glory. Amien.

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

When Mercy Appeare
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Wheat & Tares-Truth & Compromise

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Angels, What Angels?

Angels Minister to Those Who Speak God’s Word: Matthew 4:1 1 then the devil left Him and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. (also seen in Luke 4)

1.      Angels: angelos: (ang-e-loss) spiritual heavenly attendants ..see Psalm 104:4, Luke 1:19

2.      Functioning as ministers of the Lord sent to Earth

3.      They execute His purposes and make them known to men. Daniel 10:12 Gabriel appeared to Daniel “ I have come because of your words”

In our call to the kingdom that is come, we repent, and believe with a trust in God that He will fulfill His promises. Jesus came to save the “lost” and that was us, but we now must reach others understanding that by prayer and speaking God’s truth, angels are hearing and will go with that word of God and God will see it accomplished to where it is sent. Amen!

Was working on this the last few days and was surprised to see how many times angels appeared to the average person! Now some may not refer to Daniel as average, but he served in a time when he generally stood face to face with evil. Ever read about Daniel?

Now I remembered Peter being awakened by an angel and how the gates opened for him to leave the  prison behind. Now that was some interesting adventures with God indeed!

Jesus Spoke this: Matthew 26:51-56  NKJV 51 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.52 But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 

53  "Or do you think that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?  55 In that hour said Jesus to the multitudes," How are you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me.

56 " But all this was done, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

Luke 24:18-29 NKJV 18 Then one whose name was Cleopas, answered and said unto him, " Are You the only  stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?"    19 And He said unto them, "What things?" So they said to Him, "the things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.

  20 "And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified him.  21"But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. 

22 "Yes, and certain women of our company who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.23 When they did not find His body, they came, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive.  

24 "And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him  they did not see.

  25 Then He said to them, O fools, & slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken: 26 "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things,and to enter into His glory?  27 And beginning at Moses & all the prophets, He expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself. 28 And they drew near to the village  where they were going and He indicated that he would have gone farther . 29 But they constrained Him, saying," Abide with us: for it is toward evening, & the day is far spent & He went in to stay with them.

1.      The righteous can see angels and can hear them

2.      These people had thoughts for Jesus whom they loved & sought to know where He was placed

From Psalm 91: 12-13, we find these verses. 12 “In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot  against a stone, 13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.”

Jesus stood face to face with devil and Jesus gave the devil God's word! Luke 4:3-4 NKJV 3 & the devil said to Him, “if You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”

Our hearts must contain the words of God. We  are to continually look up: not to the situation or the bad report, but look up and see who walked out of the tomb….the tomb of defeat to the rightful place of victory and gave us a new life in HIM!

 We speak God’s word & the angels carry out what the spoken word is meant to do! Psalm 103:20 bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You ministers of His who do His pleasure.

It is angels who serve to bless God that is they worship and serve His will. They do His word on Earth as it is in Heaven. They heed Him when He speaks. And we can sound like speaking God's word over every situation, circumstance and disease!     Hebrews 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? Angels revolve around the ministry of the church Jesus established. They advance His ministry on earth as it is in heaven.

If we truly understand that this is a righteous walk of faith, we remain active not only speaking God's word but expectant to see Him move through our circumstances and by change see that angel as like Daniel, Peter and Mary did!
 In this work God has called us to is this: that " the priority is seeing the foundation laid "in everyday living; and within that the Lord’s blessings begin to flow in and through our lives. That foundation is with the Cornerstone Who made a new life possible for each of us who have repented of the old man and his sins and received the life everlasting, that is one filled with hope of promises that we can expect to be fulfilled in our lifetimes!
Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord!" Let it be unto me according to Your word."
And the angel departed.
Peter said this: (from Acts 12:5-11) "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people."
Daniel said this: Daniel 10: 16-18 And suddenly, one having the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to him who stood before me, "My lord, because of the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength. 17 "for how can this servant of my lord walk with you, my lord? as for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me."
Gabriel was sent by Jesus to minister to Daniel. And Daniel experienced an overwhelming power greater than himself. He Daniel, was given encouragement and refreshing. Those if you who read about them that were Daniel hid from the presence of this. Although Daniel saw in a vision still others experience the magnitude of God's presence with the angel.

For you and I, we are to keep our communion with God just like Daniel, Mary and Peter. His strength becomes our strength. His word delivers into the positive life giving force that is for our good and not evil giving a hope in the final outcome. May Almighty God enable us to comply always to His will and to stand complete in Him. And when irritants come to irritate us, then we can stand in His peace and love and pray for His will to be done on earth, that is in us and through us for His glory, just like He did in Peter, Mary and Daniel. And Hey, if you see an angel .....well good, but if not, know they are active and on the alert to go forth in heeding God's word in your mouth....Now speak loud and clear...and your angels will go to accomplish what God planned for you! Amen!

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Beyond Our Ability by God's Power

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Positive Good in the Face of Evil

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