(January 23, 2012)
Prayer House News!
We had a powerful service yesterday! The spirit of God was doing some amazing things in our hearts. Our altars were filled. At one point I looked out to only see a handful of people NOT at the altars. We also took in new members and listened to Osmar Agiluar challenge us about missions. It was a good day!
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My message will be the devotional for this week.
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Devotional!
Come Forth!
We are going to look at a number of verses today so you will want to keep you bible handy. I’ve titled this message “Come Forth” – can you guess why. Those were the very words Jesus spoke as he raised Lazarus from the dead.
John 11:1-3 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (2) It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. (3) So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”
I just think this is so revealing of human nature. Here are the sisters of Lazarus saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” Isn’t it typical to think that God likes us best – or at least our children or family? “Lord, please touch my grandchild – you know who I’m talking about – she’s the smartest, cutest, godly grandchild ever – and I’m not just saying it because she’s my grandchild. You know her; she’s the one you love more than the other little children in church.” I find that Jesus’ response to this request almost funny.
John 11:6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
If you didn’t realize that God has purpose in all that He does and nothing is done just to be funny – you’d almost think that’s what he did here. However, he explains himself in verse 14.
John 11:14-15 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, (15) and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
Prayer House News!
We had a powerful service yesterday! The spirit of God was doing some amazing things in our hearts. Our altars were filled. At one point I looked out to only see a handful of people NOT at the altars. We also took in new members and listened to Osmar Agiluar challenge us about missions. It was a good day!
------------------------------------------------------
My message will be the devotional for this week.
============================
Devotional!
Come Forth!
We are going to look at a number of verses today so you will want to keep you bible handy. I’ve titled this message “Come Forth” – can you guess why. Those were the very words Jesus spoke as he raised Lazarus from the dead.
John 11:1-3 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (2) It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. (3) So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”
I just think this is so revealing of human nature. Here are the sisters of Lazarus saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” Isn’t it typical to think that God likes us best – or at least our children or family? “Lord, please touch my grandchild – you know who I’m talking about – she’s the smartest, cutest, godly grandchild ever – and I’m not just saying it because she’s my grandchild. You know her; she’s the one you love more than the other little children in church.” I find that Jesus’ response to this request almost funny.
John 11:6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
If you didn’t realize that God has purpose in all that He does and nothing is done just to be funny – you’d almost think that’s what he did here. However, he explains himself in verse 14.
John 11:14-15 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, (15) and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
Now we start to get to the crux of the matter. Jesus wanted to make sure Lazarus was good and dead before he got there so that there would be no way to mistake what was about to take place. When he asked them to roll away the grave stone they said to Him – “by now he was been dead so long that he stinks, (v.39).” Jesus was doing all he could to get people to believe he was the Messiah.
The whole idea of faith is based on believing. It’s the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Our salvation is faith based. Our sustenance is faith based. When we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread,” that is an expression of faith acknowledging that God is ultimately our source even of the food we eat. It’s seems that everything Jesus focused on in these first few chapters dealt with believing.
At RPM last Wednesday night I spent a little time dealing with John 6:29 during our prayer time, Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” What is there within, what we call the work of God that does not relate to believing? Everything we do is to help people believe. If all men everywhere would believe on the name of Jesus Christ to be saved – there would be no work to do – outside of some discipleship.
Not only does it take a simple belief in the Son of God to be saved – there is a continuing need for us to believe for every other aspect of his kingdom. Healing requires believing, peace of mind requires believing, we believe God for our finances, we believe God for our marriages, we believe God to take care of our children. Everything comes down to believing. Jesus spent his entire ministry on earth trying to get people to believe that he was the Son of God. What is more critical than a man believing Jesus for his salvation?
There are two facets of believing I want to deal with. One has to do with non-Christians and the other has to do with Christians.
We are not forgetting this account in John 11 concerning Lazarus but I want you to see something else regarding believing first.
Mark 6:5-6 And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands upon a few sick people and healed them (6) And he marveled because of their unbelief.
As I was studying John chapter 11 I got looking at some other instances where Jesus healed people – I found these verses quite interesting. At first glance it would appear that the people’s unbelief was blocking his ability to do miracles. It says he could do no miracles there. However I believe the answer is found in the Lazarus account. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead some believed and some didn’t.
John 11:45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, (46) but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
I think it is so incredible that some of those who just witnessed one of the greatest miracles of all time – a man being raised from the dead – not just a newly dead man but a man dead long enough to stink – has his life returned to him. Some believed – some ran and told the authorities on him. His life was now threatened because of the miracle. Can’t you just see the type of person that cannot shake himself away from the law – even in the midst of a miracle that proves who the Son of God is? “Nope, nope, nope, I cannot accept that – it goes against the law – I’m telling on you.” They are so hung up on how it is supposed to be that they simply cannot see grace or mercy. Mercy is what made Jesus so controversial. His acts of mercy seemed to be contrary to the law which subsequently was used against him in order to justify crucifying Him.
So here is what I concluded: When it says he could do no miracle in Mark 6 it’s not referring so much as to his ability to perform a miracle as it relates to how useless it is to do these great acts in the presence of those who do not believe. I don’t believe it would be proper to suppose that his POWER was limited by their unbelief; but that they were so "prejudiced," and so set against him, that nothing would convince them. They would have charged it to derangement, or sorcery, or the devil.
When Jesus told them in John chapter 10 that he was the only way into the kingdom of God they accused him of having a demon.
The whole idea of faith is based on believing. It’s the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Our salvation is faith based. Our sustenance is faith based. When we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread,” that is an expression of faith acknowledging that God is ultimately our source even of the food we eat. It’s seems that everything Jesus focused on in these first few chapters dealt with believing.
At RPM last Wednesday night I spent a little time dealing with John 6:29 during our prayer time, Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” What is there within, what we call the work of God that does not relate to believing? Everything we do is to help people believe. If all men everywhere would believe on the name of Jesus Christ to be saved – there would be no work to do – outside of some discipleship.
Not only does it take a simple belief in the Son of God to be saved – there is a continuing need for us to believe for every other aspect of his kingdom. Healing requires believing, peace of mind requires believing, we believe God for our finances, we believe God for our marriages, we believe God to take care of our children. Everything comes down to believing. Jesus spent his entire ministry on earth trying to get people to believe that he was the Son of God. What is more critical than a man believing Jesus for his salvation?
There are two facets of believing I want to deal with. One has to do with non-Christians and the other has to do with Christians.
We are not forgetting this account in John 11 concerning Lazarus but I want you to see something else regarding believing first.
Mark 6:5-6 And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands upon a few sick people and healed them (6) And he marveled because of their unbelief.
As I was studying John chapter 11 I got looking at some other instances where Jesus healed people – I found these verses quite interesting. At first glance it would appear that the people’s unbelief was blocking his ability to do miracles. It says he could do no miracles there. However I believe the answer is found in the Lazarus account. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead some believed and some didn’t.
John 11:45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, (46) but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
I think it is so incredible that some of those who just witnessed one of the greatest miracles of all time – a man being raised from the dead – not just a newly dead man but a man dead long enough to stink – has his life returned to him. Some believed – some ran and told the authorities on him. His life was now threatened because of the miracle. Can’t you just see the type of person that cannot shake himself away from the law – even in the midst of a miracle that proves who the Son of God is? “Nope, nope, nope, I cannot accept that – it goes against the law – I’m telling on you.” They are so hung up on how it is supposed to be that they simply cannot see grace or mercy. Mercy is what made Jesus so controversial. His acts of mercy seemed to be contrary to the law which subsequently was used against him in order to justify crucifying Him.
So here is what I concluded: When it says he could do no miracle in Mark 6 it’s not referring so much as to his ability to perform a miracle as it relates to how useless it is to do these great acts in the presence of those who do not believe. I don’t believe it would be proper to suppose that his POWER was limited by their unbelief; but that they were so "prejudiced," and so set against him, that nothing would convince them. They would have charged it to derangement, or sorcery, or the devil.
When Jesus told them in John chapter 10 that he was the only way into the kingdom of God they accused him of having a demon.
John 10:20 Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?"
It would have been of no use in proving TO THEM that he was from God, or to have worked miracles – subsequently he simply healed some of them.
===========================
Medication: A Merry Heart
Places I've Been and Haven't Been
I have been in many places, but I've never been in Cahoots.
Apparently, you can't go alone. You have to be in Cahoots
with someone.
It would have been of no use in proving TO THEM that he was from God, or to have worked miracles – subsequently he simply healed some of them.
===========================
Medication: A Merry Heart
Places I've Been and Haven't Been
I have been in many places, but I've never been in Cahoots.
Apparently, you can't go alone. You have to be in Cahoots
with someone.
I've also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes
you there.
you there.
I have, however, been in Sane. They don't have an airport;
you have to be driven there. I have made several trips
there, thanks to my friends, family, and work.
you have to be driven there. I have made several trips
there, thanks to my friends, family, and work.
I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump, and
I'm not too much on physical activity anymore.
I have also been in Doubt. That is a sad place to go, and I
try not to visit there too often.
I've been in Flexible, but only when it was very important
to stand firm.
Sometimes I'm in Capable, and I go there more often as I'm
getting older.
One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense! It really
gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart! At my
age I need all the stimuli I can get!
I may have been in Continent, but I don't remember what
country I was in. It's an age thing.
I'm not too much on physical activity anymore.
I have also been in Doubt. That is a sad place to go, and I
try not to visit there too often.
I've been in Flexible, but only when it was very important
to stand firm.
Sometimes I'm in Capable, and I go there more often as I'm
getting older.
One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense! It really
gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart! At my
age I need all the stimuli I can get!
I may have been in Continent, but I don't remember what
country I was in. It's an age thing.
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