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Thursday, April 09, 2009

21 Days to a closer walk with Thee (Day 11)

Good morning to some and good afternoon to others. I love coming here everyday and sharing with you guys. These past 11 days have blessed me so much and I hope it has done the same for you. Here are our scriptures for today:

3Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
4When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
Jesus was going to use Lazarus' death to show His true power by doing something no one else could ever do. Lazarus' death would glorify the Lord but also set the stage for what Jesus was about to do as well.

9Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
10But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
11These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
17Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
Jesus was in no hurry at first while Lazarus was sick. After he died, Jesus arrived days later for a reason. It is one thing to raise someone up a few hours after they had passed but after 4 days!!! Jesus is the light of the world and His light should be in us less we stumble.

22But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
23Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Verse 26 is so awesome. Everything we want, we have in Jesus. He has our life and He will save us and keep us from dying the ultimate death of being apart from the Lord for eternity.

34And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
35Jesus wept.
36Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
Many people have speculated as to why Jesus wept. Some even use it to question His Godliness. But to me, it is truly profound. You see Jesus was always doing things for a reason. It was here at this moment, He was showing us His humanity. Even though He knew Lazarus would rise again, He still allowed Himself to grieve just for a moment. Not only for Lazarus but for all those who died without Him, and for what He was about to experience as well. We can go to Him truly knowing we serve a God that understands us. He knows what it's like to be betrayed by someone you love. He knows what it's like to be talked about and ridiculed. But most importantly, He knows what it's like to forgive those same people and still be able to love them. So if you need to cry, go ahead and get it out. But then wipe your tears and get back to doing what God called you to do, just like Jesus did.

39Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
40Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
41Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
43And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
45Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
The word of God says that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Jesus spoke, and Lazarus lived. Speak the word of God over those situations that seem dead in your life and watch Him raise them up as well. Some of us have dreams that have died. Some of us have family relationships that have been torn and destroyed. Even if it has been years and it is dead and stinking, and seems like it is beyond repair, trust God. Whatever it is, speak God's word over it!!!

49And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
50Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
51And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
52And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
This sums up what Jesus did. One man died so all could live. He died not just for the Jews, but for you and I as well. He died, so we could live. Q

1 comment:

cbean said...

Verse 21: "Lord," Martha said to Jesus "if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
Verse 32: When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
Verse 37: But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"

Death is spoken of in these three verses as a physical death. Martha, Mary and other Jews believed that Jesus had the power to keep Lazarus from dying a physical death, and he did. This power was displayed in the miracle he performed by bringing Lazarus back to life. Jesus could have spoken a healing on to Lazarus from where he was, but he chose to use this miracle to once again try and convince folks that he was indeed the Son of God, also able to save them from a spiritual death, if they would only believe.

Now look at the verses again. If Jesus had only been there in Bethany, Lazarus would not have died. If Jesus had only been in my heart, I would not have made choices that were leading to my spiritual death. Now that I believe in Jesus and his Holy Spirit resides in my heart, my soul has now been raised from a spiritual death and now walks in the newness of life. Even though I did not rise from a physical death, my spiritual resurrection is a miracle that God can use to convince those around me of his soul saving power. God is still in the business of raising folks from the dead. We just don't see it sometimes and sometimes are afraid to testify about it. Rejoice in the Lord and shared the Good News of how he raised you from the dead.