Spikenard Oil and the Alabaster Box (Part 2) – 2-28-23

“But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.” John 12:7 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

Do you already have a relationship with a powerful God who cares about your every need because He loves you? Did you know my God can communicate with you and protect you – He has a plan for you to prosper if you just submit to His will and let His plan play out in your life!!! God wants a relationship with you and has already made a plan for your life. He loves you so much He sent His son to this world, to die as a sacrifice for your sins and rise from death with victory over sin and the ability to have a personal relationship with you.

Do you want to know truth? Be able to discern lies? Know how to figure it all out in these confusing times and have peace? The Bible says Jesus is the truth. I have experienced it and it has changed my life. I was once a hot mess of sin, promiscuity, drug and alcohol use and so much more. But I was lost and when I could not find my way, or find a truth, I numbed it with bad choses. When I found Jesus, and truth – I found peace and deliverance from those things.

If you want a relationship with God without truth you will get the counterfeit, hypocritical Christianity that has kept some of you away for too long. You need truth and relationship. You need to be honest with yourself and God (including honest repentance) and God will reveal truth to you. It becomes the two way, interaction that your relationship with God is built on. This is why Jesus is called the truth, because he is our only way to the Father.

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 NIV
Here is a prayer for you to pray:
Jesus, I believe you are the way, the truth, the life, and the only way to the Father. I believe you are the son of God, you came to Earth and lived. That you died on the cross as a sacrifice for my sins, and rose again so that I may be saved from my sins and be able to get to know you. I declare: Jesus, you are Lord!
Therefore, I confess that I am a sinner and I ask that you forgive me of my sins and come into my life. Help me to turn away from my sins and transform me into what you have lovingly created me to be. Help me through a real personal relationship grow and accept your will for my life – that I may live in your blessings. Please walk with me, and talk with me – I accept a relationship with you and with our Father God, through you. In the name of Jesus I pray ~ Amen

BIBLE READING:

Dear Heavenly Father – Please give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of who you are, who Jesus is, and who the Holy Spirit is. Open the eyes of our understanding, please, so we may know the hope of our calling and the vast sovereignty and power of the grace of the cross. Please do not let us miss out on what you want and need from us today. Lord, I pray that your word prepares us and not scares us! We forbid the works and influences of fear over your word and our sound mind. And please keep us and bless us and shine your face upon us and pour out grace over us and give us peace! And we pray for the peace of Jerusalem! Thank you! – In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Today’s reading we will re-read the same passage in the Gospel of John, chapter 12 at verse 1 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

The Anointing at Bethany

¹ Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was ^[^a^]who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. ²There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. ³Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

⁴But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ⁵“Why was this fragrant oil not sold for ^[^b^]three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” ⁶This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

⁷But Jesus said, “Let her alone; ^[^c^]she has kept this for the day of My burial. ⁸For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

John 12:1-8 NKJV

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

“Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21 KJV

BIBLE DISCUSSION:

Today’s passage is SO EXTREMELY IMPORTANT – we will take another pass at it! Yesterday we discussed the authorship of the story and the differing accounts, as well as some of the cultural elements. We learned that some details are more important than others in this story. Today we will take a closer look at some of those elements.

“³Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.” John 12:3

What is spikenard oil? And what is an alabaster flask?

“³And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.” Mark 14:3

“³⁷And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, ³⁸and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.” Luke 7:37-38

One of the details that all of the accounts of this story agree on is this lady had an alabaster flask (or box) filled with spikenard oil and she brought it and emptied it on Jesus in an act of worship. The first century church knew a few things about this oil that we may not know and it makes the oil significant in a few ways, let us take a look.

First spikenard oil comes from pressing the tubular roots of the spikenard plant which is part of the valerianaceae family (you are probably more familiar with the valerian plant from this same family). Both have calming and sedative properties and Spikenard is also anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, deodorant, fungicidal, laxative, sedative and tonic. It has a pleasant woodsy, musky and almost spicy smell. And you and I can buy an inexpensive bottle of the oil on Amazon for $6.99 USD.

In the first century this oil was very costly because the plant is native to the Himalayas of Nepal, southern China and northern India. Wealthy families might keep a small amount on hand for first aid. But the most common use was to be used in a lady’s pre-wedding ceremonies.
You see, parents would by their daughter a fancy oils for when they came of age to marry. The more costly the oil, the better. A woman would keep this oil safe and sealed so it would not spoil for the day when she would soak and bathe before her wedding and be anointed (coated) in the oil to present herself to her groom. These oils would often come sealed in a very expensive container.
In this case the container was an alabaster flask (or box). Alabaster is a soft marble like stone that was carved into a jar, probably with a long neck, which was sealed and to open it one would have to break it.

Together, expensive oil for a marriage kept safe sealed in stone is a beautiful metaphor for a wedding. Combined with the symbol of a table and a meal in this story – would lead the first century Jews to think of a wedding supper or even Sukkot (feast of tabernacles).

This woman literally sacrificed her wedding day, her hopes of marriage, future husband and future for Jesus. She would not easily if at all be able to replace that oil. And once it is opened, it will spoil, so she had to use it all.

Ceremoniously, the Jews also anoint the groom and the dead. Since due to the timing of Jesus’s death, He would NOT be anointed in death, Jesus says prophetically that she has prepared Him for death with the anointing. AND she also ceremoniously anointed our groom – for our wedding feast!

Are you starting to see why this story is so very important?!

When reading the Bible and you come a crossed a reoccurring symbol – you know it is important and in this passage we see some of the most prophetic and reoccurring symbols of the Bible – wedding, feast, and tabernacle (temple and garden are part of the symbol of tabernacle)!

This woman was obviously of marriage age, yet not yet married. An unmarried woman had no rights in their society. She could not buy or sell. She could not even survive. She must be under her father, brother or husband’s authority in a Roman ruled area. In this society she was on the edge of losing all hope. However, pouring out her anointing was a not a statement of hopelessness. It was a sign of total surrender to God, to His will and protection.
In our terms and understanding – Jesus was her husband and spiritual covering.

Please join us tomorrow as we continued discussion on the Book of John.

***

I also wanted to remind and inform all of you, that instead of writing a book on fasting (since it is the topic I get asked the most about) I have created a Facebook group that is designed to be interactive and give you all the Bible verses on fasting, all the types of fast, and how to fast. In the group are specialist to help us along the way, like the creator of The Fasting Protocol (fasting for health and weight loss; which is part of fasting and important to know about – He can also speak to fasting in a healthy manner). The group is new and other experts are invited, I am hopeful they will join. So let’s join the group and see what we will learn about prayer and fasting. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/509149707741862

Thank you for reading in 2023 – a Year of Grace and Provision
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace. Walk in wisdom.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

27 Feb 202325 Feb 2023

Spikenard Oil and the Alabaster Box – 2-27-23

“But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.” John 12:7 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading we will pick back up in the Gospel of John, chapter 12 at verse 1 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

The Anointing at Bethany

¹ Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was ^[a]who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. ²There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. ³Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

⁴But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ⁵“Why was this fragrant oil not sold for ^[b]three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” ⁶This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

⁷But Jesus said, “Let her alone; ^[c]she has kept this for the day of My burial. ⁸For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

John 12:1-8 NKJV

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

“Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21 KJV

BIBLE DISCUSSION:

Today’s passage is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
Jesus will NOT be anointed when buried so this step happens ahead of time.
This is a lesson is faith, sacrifices and giving.
This story MUST be told whenever the gospel is being shared.

The strange thing is how much the different accounts of it read – it is in ALL four gospels. Mark was written first. Mark was a child when this was happening and much of what he wrote and understood of the Gospel came from Peter and Barnabas’s teachings. However, it is possible that Mark was there for many of the event that happened around Jerusalem and holidays. Mark was also writing to the gentiles.
Matthew took Mark’s book and added details Mark did not know and when you overlap them you can see that the book of Mark is almost intact under Mathew’s writings. Matthew was writing to the Jews and included the fulfilled prophecies and history that is important to the Jews.
Luke took Mark’s book as well and used it as an outline. Then Luke did some investigative reporting and interviewed many who were there. Luke was most likely writing to the Roman law council, or Paul’s lawyer, on behalf of Paul, to explain how Paul did not start this.
John was seemingly unaware of the other gospels. It seems his book was written in a journaling form right after Jesus’s death, then revised and added to and then revised again adding the ending that explains God’s sovereignty which was needed when he published his book.

Because of these varied accounts – the lady, the location and the timeline are all under dispute by great theologians. Some even say that it was a common thing for women to anoint Jesus with oil, tears and their hair. Jesus instructed this story be told every time the gospel is told – yet the very first tellings of it cannot agree on the who, when, and where of the story.

We do have the “What” and the “why” from the “Who, What, When, Where and Why”. And I cannot help but think God did this for a specific reason. God’s work is never about who does it, when it is done, or where it happens – it is about what He does and why He does it.
So no matter which version you share or if you mix them up – as long as you have what happened and why in your version it is good.

“¹ Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. ²There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. ³Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
⁴But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ⁵“Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” ⁶This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
⁷But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. ⁸For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” John 12:1-8

“⁶And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, ⁷a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. ⁸But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? ⁹For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”
¹⁰But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. ¹¹For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. ¹²For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. ¹³Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” Matthew 26:6-13

^“3And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. ⁴But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? ⁵For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.
⁶But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. ⁷For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. ⁸She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. ⁹Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” Mark 14:3-9

“³⁶Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. ³⁷And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, ³⁸and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. ³⁹Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”
⁴⁰And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
So he said, “Teacher, say it.”
⁴¹“There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴²And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
⁴³Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”
And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” ⁴⁴Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. ⁴⁵You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. ⁴⁶You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. ⁴⁷Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
⁴⁸Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
⁴⁹And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
⁵⁰Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” Luke 7:36-50

Please join us tomorrow as we continued discussion on the Book of John.

***

26 Feb 202324 Feb 2023

WEEKEND READING – 2-26-23

“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 16:25 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Proverbs chapter 16 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Wisdom Is Better Than Gold

16 The preparations^[a] of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

²All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
But the Lord weighs the spirits.

³Commit^[b] your works to the Lord,
And your thoughts will be established.

⁴The Lord has made all for Himself,
Yes, even the wicked for the day of ^[c]doom.

⁵Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Though they join ^[d]forces, none will go unpunished.

⁶In mercy and truth
Atonement is provided for iniquity;
And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.

⁷When a man’s ways please the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

⁸Better is a little with righteousness,
Than vast revenues without justice.

⁹A man’s heart plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.

¹⁰Divination is on the lips of the king;
His mouth must not transgress in judgment.
¹¹Honest weights and scales are the Lord’s;
All the weights in the bag are His ^[e]work.
¹²It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness,
For a throne is established by righteousness.
¹³Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And they love him who speaks what is right.
¹⁴As messengers of death is the king’s wrath,
But a wise man will appease it.
¹⁵In the light of the king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud of the latter rain.

¹⁶How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

¹⁷The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

¹⁸Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before ^[f]a fall.
¹⁹Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,
Than to divide the ^[g]spoil with the proud.

²⁰He who heeds the word wisely will find good,
And whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.

²¹The wise in heart will be called prudent,
And sweetness of the lips increases learning.

²²Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it.
But the correction of fools is folly.

²³The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,
And adds learning to his lips.

²⁴Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

²⁵There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

²⁶The person who labors, labors for himself,
For his hungry mouth drives him on.

²⁷^[h]An ungodly man digs up evil,
And it is on his lips like a burning fire.
²⁸A perverse man sows strife,
And a whisperer separates the best of friends.
²⁹A violent man entices his neighbor,
And leads him in a way that is not good.
³⁰He winks his eye to devise perverse things;
He ^[i]purses his lips and brings about evil.

³¹The silver-haired head is a crown of glory,
If it is found in the way of righteousness.

³²He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

³³The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the Lord.

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

“Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21 KJV

***

25 Feb 202324 Feb 2023

WEEKEND READING – 2-25-23

“He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, And before honor is humility.” Proverbs 15:32-33 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Proverbs chapter 15 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

A Soft Answer Turns Away Wrath

15 A soft answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.
²The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly,
But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.

³The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

⁴A ^[a]wholesome tongue is a tree of life,
But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

⁵A fool despises his father’s instruction,
But he who ^[b]receives correction is prudent.

⁶In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
But in the revenue of the wicked is trouble.

⁷The lips of the wise ^[c]disperse knowledge,
But the heart of the fool does not do so.

⁸The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But the prayer of the upright is His delight.
⁹The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But He loves him who follows righteousness.

¹⁰Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way,
And he who hates correction will die.

¹¹Hell^[d] and ^[e]Destruction are before the Lord;
So how much more the hearts of the sons of men.

¹²A scoffer does not love one who corrects him,
Nor will he go to the wise.

¹³A merry heart makes a cheerful ^[f]countenance,
But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

¹⁴The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

¹⁵All the days of the afflicted are evil,
But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

¹⁶Better is a little with the fear of the Lord,
Than great treasure with trouble.
¹⁷Better is a dinner of ^[g]herbs where love is,
Than a fatted calf with hatred.

¹⁸A wrathful man stirs up strife,
But he who is slow to anger allays contention.

¹⁹The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns,
But the way of the upright is a highway.

²⁰A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man despises his mother.

²¹Folly is joy to him who is destitute of ^[h]discernment,
But a man of understanding walks uprightly.

²²Without counsel, plans go awry,
But in the multitude of counselors they are established.

²³A man has joy by the answer of his mouth,
And a word spoken ^[i]in due season, how good it is!

²⁴The way of life winds upward for the wise,
That he may turn away from ^[j]hell below.

²⁵The Lord will destroy the house of the proud,
But He will establish the boundary of the widow.

²⁶The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
But the words of the pure are pleasant.

²⁷He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house,
But he who hates bribes will live.

²⁸The heart of the righteous studies how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.

²⁹The Lord is far from the wicked,
But He hears the prayer of the righteous.

³⁰The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
And a good report makes the bones ^[k]healthy.

³¹The ear that hears the rebukes of life
Will abide among the wise.
³²He who disdains instruction despises his own soul,
But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding.
³³The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom,
And before honor is humility.

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

“Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21 KJV

***

24 Feb 202324 Feb 2023

Everyone will Believe? Every Knee will Bow! – 2-24-23

“If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him,” John 11:48a NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading we will pick back up in the Gospel of John, chapter 11 at verse 45 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

The Plot to Kill Jesus

⁴⁵Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. ⁴⁶But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. ⁴⁷Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. ⁴⁸If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”

⁴⁹And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, ⁵⁰nor do you consider that it is expedient for ^[e]us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” ⁵¹Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, ⁵²and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

⁵³Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. ⁵⁴Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.

⁵⁵And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. ⁵⁶Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?” ⁵⁷Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.

John 11:45-57 NKJV

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

“Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21 KJV

BIBLE DISCUSSION:

God is about to do that something amazing – that transformation from death to life in our lives.

On a small scale – God has me in an online zoom class to learn some business skills. Obviously I need them. My marketing is not dead but it could use some CPR or something – but I do not know I am not trained in this. So I take the class. Well, I get called on and I become the example and the teacher shows how dead my marketing is… not just dead… it stinks. It’s so bad when he said let’s roll back the stone I was like NO!! And he asked me if I was teachable. Yes! But! Oh no!!!!! I wanted to cover my eyes and hide.
Then he said look it is not dead anymore just do step a, b, and c and boom! Back to life!

On a small scale God is giving us an example of what he is doing. He is rolling back the stone and exposing the stink and then calling the right things back to life! It is happening all over the world. We discussed how everything that can be shaken will be – this is just part of it. Some things have to die in order to come back to life!
And even though I don’t want to talk about it – I was asked if I was teachable! I obviously lacked humility and was defensive. I was. He was not listening. I’d say I was doing it and he’d say I wasn’t so I had to say, no I was. I shut up and let him continue – but I should have taken a more humble approach. It’s not like its recorded and available to 2000 plus people on the internet – oh wait, it is.

So what happens after Jesus starts to bring things back to life?

“⁴⁵Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.”

When I got finished with class I called a few friends and told them how I got help with my marketing and it should help grow me. They were thrilled and we glorified God together! Jesus does this work to help us but also to be glorified and bring others to believe. Well, my friends were praying God would help and He did, so this built up their faith and helped them believe. God took something dead and brought it back to life!
So afterwards, there will be believers.

“⁴⁶But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did.”

But there will also be the negative troublemakers. Jesus could not escape them – do not expect Jesus to spare us from them. Jesus said in this world we will have trouble (John 16:33).

“⁴⁷Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. ⁴⁸If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”

Some people’s feathers were ruffled from the miracles on the Sabbath, some could not get past the statement “Son of God”, but the real threat was political. For those who say the church should NOT interfere with government failed to realize Jesus’s death (and subsequent resurrection), that brings us the forgiveness of our sins and foundation of our beliefs – and it is all birthed in political unrest. It is what we rose from, and it is part of it.
And for those who say I do not need to teach the culture of the 1^st century and that you do not need to know the culture of the first century – how then will you understand why Jesus was hung on the cross. We discuss that it was for our sins but they did not pull him out and say – you will be the man sacrificed for our sins? Did they?
But the Romans were around and in them and yet Rome let them keep some autonomy with all sorts of compromises. God never likes compromises to His holiness. In the year 70 Rome had enough anyway and tore down the temple and destroyed the city – carrying away the contents and even the very stones of the temple. The stones then built the arc by which you enter that city and it still stands today and the colosseum was also built up more from the stones.
There was an inevitable Roman overthrow that threatened the very existence of Israel, which was already lost to it, but did not realize it. The Jews tried to keep from causing trouble, or drawing attention to themselves in order to pacify the Romans and keep them from taking what little the Jews thought they still had. Jesus was too much! Drew big crowds. And did signs and wonders including raising the dead! Jesus had to be quiet or they would have to show the Romans that Jesus was not one of them and that they would let the romans kills him, so that the Jews could further pacify them.

“⁴⁹And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, ⁵⁰nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” ⁵¹Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, ⁵²and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.”

Caiaphas spoke of things more deep than even he could understand. Jesus would die so the Romans could be appeased. Except for, the Roman’s were not really worried about Jesus the same way. They were more curious, if anything. Yet Jesus would die for that Nation of Israel, His people, first and foremost – and then by the spirit of adoption, the rest of us.

It is also important to note that Caiaphas’s prophecy DID NOT make him a prophet. Nor did it mean he was right with the Lord. I have seen many not right with the Lord Prophecy, some even with God’s spirit. But the Spirit of God came upon Caiaphas and brought forth this prophecy.

“⁵³Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. ⁵⁴Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.”

Jesus knew their plan. It was NOT because Jesus was all knowing, if he was or not while on earth we do not know. We know God in heaven is all knowing and can reveal these things. But something the Apostles seldom put into writing were the things the local already knew. And according to the wide array of writing both in and outside of canon – the Jews were NOT as secretive as we’d think they would be. No – they openly sought Jesus for death and told people to report back His whereabouts and what Jesus was doing.
It makes for a good modern life reminder. The enemy tells us his evil plan. Sadly we often miss it or downplay it.
For example, the Grammy performance of Unholy, before the show they said to get ready to worship. They literally said their performance was to worship. Well, with red and devil horns, he obviously was not worshiping God. Then everyone is shock when preachers called it a satanic ritual – what else is satan worship called? Even the performers themselves called it worship. Come on!

“⁵⁵And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. ⁵⁶Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?”

And people still sought Jesus.

“⁵⁷Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.”

Now, we are just over half way through the book! There is no way Jesus is dying in the next chapter – but boy is the next chapter good!!! We get to spend more time with Mary and Martha!
Please join us tomorrow for some wisdom reading presented without discussion and on Monday we will pick back up with our continued discussion on the Book of John.

***

23 Feb 202323 Feb 2023

God Hears Us and Jesus Manifests – 2-23-23

“Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” John 11:43 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading we will pick back up in the Gospel of John, chapter 11 at verse 38 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Lazarus Raised from the Dead

³⁸Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. ³⁹Jesus 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.”

⁴⁰Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” ⁴¹Then they took away the stone ^[d]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. ⁴²And 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.” ⁴³Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” ⁴⁴And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

John 11:38-44 NKJV

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

“Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21 KJV

BIBLE DISCUSSION:

Today is a short reading again – but I want us to take the time to really meditate on it and ask God to reveal the depths of it to us. Sometimes we need to remember to ask God to speak directly to us through his words and not necessarily through the person who is helping to bring the word forth.

So before we begin, ask the Lord to share something special with you today by whatever means he wants.

For example, God often impresses upon my heart things I must do or places I must go or things he has to say to me. I am familiar and comfortable with Him speaking to me this way. But lately, He is speaking in reoccurring words and numbers. I have no idea what they mean. I am not familiar or comfortable with Him talking in a language I do not understand. BUT we must be open to however He wants to speak and trust He will provide the understanding as well.

In today’s reading Jesus might as well be speaking a new language for Mary and Martha – He was doing something new. We should pay attention – Jesus is also doing something new in our world today!

“³⁸Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. ³⁹Jesus 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.”

What we do not read here is that even though Martha protests, even if we speak of things we only understand in the flesh like Martha, we are not punished and a miracle can still come for us.
Also said here is that many times something must die-before the life Jesus speaks can enter and revive them! That death may not be an easy symbol – but a dirty smelly process which includes being buried.
What is also said here is that it’s ok if you have made an unfixable stench of your life leaving yourself dead – Jesus apparently is not afraid of the smell. Even the smell of those rotting areas of us, that have been dead for days!

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

Well, I believe! How about you?! I want to see the glory of God. Here is the strange thing about that. When we read some of these promises and blessings we say to ourselves: Oh Jesus means, spiritually blessed, or emotionally blessed but not tangible in the physical realm. OR Jesus means His Glory in heaven. OR Jesus means we’ll see it in heaven, be healed in heaven and otherwise in heaven. We can all much easier believe in a blessing we cannot see and therefore having it or not having it is completely subjective and no feeling are hurt. God is not truly glorified and our faith, and feelings are not on the hook.

Well, my friends, if you and I like it or not – the tides have changed and it is time. We can pretend to sit there, where we were yesterday with a belief in Christ that never smelled the rotting remains of life not realizing that we are on a slope sliding away. Or we can realize those days are over and can no longer be and stay rolling back stone to expose the stench of the effects this life has had on people. It is time to have that little bit of belief that can move a mountain and speak life into dry bone as well as rotting one. People need the Lord, and you and I do not have him, so we can keep him hidden in our literal closets.

“⁴¹Then 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.”

Many times in the last few days some combination of the phrase “God hears me” has come to me, through podcasts, friends’ social media posts, through teachings, and in many unexpected ways! It is NOT notable or a surprise that God hears us. But yet Jesus stops and thanks God for hearing Him! David repeats a similar phrase throughout the Psalms. God hears us. God always hears us. And God always answers – we sometimes miss it because we are off course. But God does not fail. God ALWAYS hears us!

“⁴²And 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.”

Did you know God sent Jesus to Mary and Martha for such a time as this – to raise Lazarus – to cause belief?!?! Did you know God also sent Jesus into my life and my circumstances to be made manifest and the do a new thing and to cause belief?! DID YOU KNOW, GOD SENT JESUS INTO YOUR LIFE, TODAY – TO BE GLORIFIED IN YOUR SITUATIONS?!

“⁴³Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”

Read it again but insert your dead thing. Blessings, come forth! Breakthrough, come forth! Prodigal child, come forth! We are not calling these dead things to life – we are echoing the voice of Christ and the work He is doing for us right now! Jesus is calling it forth! Jesus is doing the Work – because God heard our cries, heard our prayers, and longs to have His son manifested in our lives!

“⁴⁴And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

It was harder for Lazarus to walk out of that grave than it was for Jesus to call him forth!
It is also important to note that Jesus is not the fixer. He does not fix our situations. He transforms them. Stop praying for a fix and start praying for a transformation.
When Jesus called him forth, it was a foreign language for all that matters – because no one in the first century expected Him to raise the dead. Mind you He did raise a little sick girl – but this was much more dramatic as Lazarus must have been a sight in those grave clothes.

Today – God has heard you. And Jesus will be made manifest in your situation. Things will be transformed in ways you could not have expected or imagined. This about it today, prayerful mediate on His words.

Please join us tomorrow with our continued discussion on the Book of John.

***

22 Feb 202322 Feb 2023

How Much Jesus Loves Us – 2-22-23

“Jesus wept.” John 11:35 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading we will pick back up in the Gospel of John, chapter 11 at verse 28 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Jesus and Death, the Last Enemy

²⁸And 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.” ²⁹As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. ³⁰Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but ^[^b^]was in the place where Martha met Him. ³¹Then 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, ^[^c^]saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”

³²Then, 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.”

³³Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. ³⁴And He said, “Where have you laid him?”

They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”

³⁵Jesus wept. ³⁶Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”

³⁷And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”

John 11:28-37 NKJV

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

“Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21 KJV

BIBLE DISCUSSION:

Although this week started off heavy and difficult and we are clinging to the horns of the altar believing for the things our eyes have not seen, and what is exceedingly abundant over all as could ask or think, I am glad to say we continue to stand, and having done all, still stand.

We will have more and more days like that. I am not sure for how long, the Bible is unclear. But the hour is late and if we do nothing else but just lay in God’s hands weeping: I need you – we are still the strongest and most ferocious warriors. Why? Because when we are weak and fully surrendered – He is strong and He can use us.
As much as we are knocked around and attacked on top of trials to refine us – the battle is already won! Let me explain: Jesus healed. He forgave sins. He restored. He cast out demons winning the victory over them and we too have that same authority in His name. John saw the end play out – so it is finished. The only enemy left that we haven’t read about in John is death… and Jesus speaks life into death and death cannot hold life down.

Let me say it again: death cannot hold life down.

“²⁸And 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.” ²⁹As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. ³⁰Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him.”

Jesus and his disciples were NOT in any hurry to go into town, probably because of the threats to Jesus’s life. Although it was not time for Jesus to die, it was also not time to antagonize the people being used by the enemy. Martha runs back to the house and tells Mary, and Mary runs off… now we are seeing something we may have missed while reading this whole chapter through. Mary did not seem to know Jesus was there. We all wondered why Martha got to Him first? Well, it seems she did not tell Mary!

“³¹Then 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.”

Martha has a quiet moment alone with Jesus – Mary brings a crowd and a whole lot of emotions!

“³²Then, 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.”

This is not entirely true, dear Mary. But Mary too lacked information on how big, how great and how much our Savior really is! And that death is no opponent for Christ!

“³³Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. ³⁴And He said, “Where have you laid him?”
They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”

Jesus knew He was about to raise Lazarus from the grave. But seeing the human pain – it moves Jesus to groan in the spirit and to be troubled. Oh our sweet Jesus hates to see us cry. I cry all the time, He probably rolls His eyes at me – But the rest of you, He hates to see the pain and hurt because He loves us so deeply. (Yes, even me regardless of being a cry baby.) When our hearts break, He wants to fix it, but he cannot take a hard heart and reshape it into healed. We must give him a soft heart to work with.
Just like clay, if our hearts are hard, he must let us soak in the mire and mud for a while to soften us. And when we are broken and hurting – time I the mud is the last place we want to be. We want to be in the soft hands of our creator while he fills the holes, mends the cracks and smooths things over.

“³⁵Jesus wept.”

The shortest verse in the Bible. So many speculated as to why Jesus wept. John’s only hint as to why, is in the next verse – love. But no one knows why. What we do not from the Bible itself is that God is emotional. God loves us. God wants to heal us and forgive us and restore to us and make us free and whole – death was never in the plan. Back in the garden, there was no plan for death. In heaven there is no death.
While NOTHING can separate us from God’s love – Sin separated us from His presence and brought death into our world.
Jesus came to earth to provide a way for Man and God to have an intimate relationship again and death was still in the way – death still needed to be dealt with. All because God loves us and misses us. And Jesus got to be here and have that relationship and it is painful to love a mortal, because death can capture them.
When we begin to understand pure love like this – we realize that figuring out why Jesus wept is the wrong question, and the wrong way of thinking. Understanding that He wept is all we need. He showed that He has complex emotions and cries. And if he does it for this situation He can cry with us over our situations too.

“³⁶Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”
³⁷And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”

Sounds like the critics of the different little “revivals” popping up in colleges and churches all over this planet. Take note that John, the author and the disciples are not piping in with any comments. Why? Because the sheep know Him. They know Jesus has emotions and love. Just like in today’s world you can tell who has spent honest time in an intimate setting with Jesus and who hasn’t.

Jesus carries this deep groaning in the spirit compassion all the way to Lazarus’s tomb. And there would have been people wailing and crying with them as was traditional during Jewish times of mourning. It must have been a very heavy walk. The love and compassion He felt walking to that grave, must have gone through His mind as he walked to Calvary, as well – because it was ONLY deep compassion that kept him on that course when at any moment He, being God, could have called the whole thing off and called down Armageddon right then and there. Many would have been lost. You and I would never have been born. But He loves us and wanted to see us created. He had and still has a plan of love for us!

Please join us tomorrow with our continued discussion on the Book of John.

***

21 Feb 202320 Feb 2023

We Lack Understanding – 2-21-23

“She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” John 11:27 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading we will pick back up in the Gospel of John, chapter 11 at verse 17 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

I Am the Resurrection and the Life

¹⁷So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. ¹⁸Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about ^[a]two miles away. ¹⁹And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

²⁰Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. ²¹Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. ²²But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

²³Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

²⁴Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

²⁵Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

²⁷She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

John 11:17-27 NKJV

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

“Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21 KJV

BIBLE DISCUSSION:

Let us set today’s reading on the background of current events. Like those three devastating earthquakes in Turkey. (Wait, the quake is now considered two at the same time and a third in Egypt. Lebanon and Israel are pushing out earthquake warning just in case, as they felt these quakes in their nations. And Tsunami warning are issued throughout the Mediterranean Sea.) (Nine earthquakes now reported after the initial one in Turkey, while I write this for tomorrow.
Although not called Turkey in the 1^st century, it is the very nation that John writes to us from. Earthquakes like this, especially multiple always cause us to look heavenward and beg God: “why?!” the pain, suffering and death are so great. But earthquakes also remind me that Earth is ALSO crying out, groaning, and heaving for Jesus manifested!

“¹⁸For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ¹⁹For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; ²¹because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ²²For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. ²³Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. ²⁴For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” Romans 8:18-25 NKJV

It is a strange kind of comforting to worship God, regardless, in a world full of such great sorrows. Which brings us to the many locations in the USA and the world where people are spontaneously getting on their faces before God and not leaving. People find that comfort in His presence and why would you want to leave. Many are calling it Revival. It most definitely can be the birth of a revival if these people are discipled and taught how to keep the faith and the fire alive. Those of us already on fire should be in prayer for these newly revived ones and all of the new souls coming into the kingdom. We are the older brothers and our younger prodigal brother is coming home – let us learn from that parable and rejoice with them and help prepare the feast (or prayerfully prepare a way for them). They will need lots of prayer and churches to be plug into. It is time we behaved like the body we are called to be.

So with the background of the college kids, the prodigals, and the people of earth crying out to God with the Earth also heaving in desperation for God – that we come to a realization: as much as we have been taught (or have not yet been taught) about these times, we really do not understand why – or fully comprehend God.

Many of us have read or heard of the story of Lazarus’s sisters when Jesus came to speak at their home (in Luke 10). Mary sat at Jesus’s feet learning and Martha was busy working and serving all the people. Maybe we are like Martha – we did not sit at the feet of Jesus long enough to have a better understanding of what is about to go down. In today’s reading, Martha thinks she understand – but she had no idea. Her belief was too small. Her understanding of God was too small.

“But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor. 2:9 NKJV

It is with all these thoughts I entered into today’s reading in John 11:

“¹⁷So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.”

When we read this passage before I had calculated the travel time and flow to show that Lazarus’s death could not have been stopped by Jesus coming or even praying immediately upon learning that Lazarus was sick. He is God and could have prevented Him from getting sick, and could have prevented me from going through trials that made me more generous, compassionate and christlike. But like we learned a few pages back with the blind man – it is not because of sin or punishment that trials come into our lives. It is because it is preparing a manifestation of Christ in us! (John 9:3)

“¹⁸Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. ¹⁹And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.”

These are some of the same Jews John spoke of who tried to stone Jesus a few times. John is letting us know that Jesus is once again walking into another potential life or death situation for Himself and his disciples.

“²⁰Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.”

This is notable. Based on all we know about Mary, Martha and Lazarus from the Gospels, we would have thought it was Mary who ran out to meet Him. And if I am honest – it was only a few years ago, while reading this that I realized it was Martha. Because no matter how many times before, that I had read or hear it, in my mind I always pictured Mary being the one in this passage going to Christ. It was just more Mary like to run to Him and more Martha like to stay home with the mourners.

“²¹Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. ²²But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

Martha came to Jesus expecting a miracle. You and I are in a desperate world and hundreds at these “revivals” around the world are also desperate and we all come expecting a miracle. Jesus cannot undo the earthquakes, the consequences of our personal sins which caused us desperation or even undo the trials we are experiencing. We knew the shaking was coming – we did not know it would be so ferocious! If you have not yet been shaken down prostrate before Him, it is coming or your heart is hardened and you will be judged. So come now expect a miracle.

“²³Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
²⁴Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Aren’t we so much like Martha – we do the good works, we listen to as many teaching as we can, while busy and we think we understand. However, we lack understanding. Every time I think I have it figured out, I learn over and over again, I lack understanding – I know some depth of scripture and God but I do not understand even how deep He is nor how much I do not know. This is why we must continue in reading and prayer to get to know Him better!
God even tells us what He is going to do and we are literally dismissive if His voice because it is too far outside of our understanding!

“²⁵Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
²⁷She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Martha says she understands, but clearly she doesn’t. She is right, Jesus is the Son of God who came into the world!! But she lacked understanding. Her view of Him was too small. Just like our view of God can be too small.

“But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor. 2:9 NKJV

Yes, we have trouble and sorrows and suffering – on top of it, an evil agenda to enslave, persecute and destroy us – on top of it trials to refine us – on top of it a move of God in this world – and we lack understanding to even have faith for HOW HUGE the plans of God towards us are!!!

Today while we mediate on the word of God for comfort and to get it into us for God to use – let us challenge ourselves to truly believe He is the Christ, the Son of God! Therefore, the impossible is possible! Let’s challenge ourselves to believe bigger. So say, I do not understand how – but a miracle is going to happen in my life TODAY!

Please join us tomorrow with our continued discussion on the Book of John.

***

20 Feb 202318 Feb 2023

The Death of Lazarus – 2-20-23

“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” John 11:5 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading we will pick back up in the Gospel of John, chapter 11 at verse 1 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

The Death of Lazarus

¹ Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. ²It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. ³Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love 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 may be glorified through it.”

⁵Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. ⁷Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

⁸The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”

⁹Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. ¹⁰But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” ¹¹These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”

¹²Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” ¹³However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.

¹⁴Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. ¹⁵And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.”

¹⁶Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

John 11:1-16 NKJV

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

“Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21 KJV

BIBLE DISCUSSION:

I hope you all had a great weekend.
Let’s jump right into today’s reading. John quickly lays out the scene: Jesus and the disciples are avoiding Judea because every time Jesus goes there, they try to stone him. But Jesus’s dear friend Lazarus was there with his sisters, dying. It be believed that Lazarus must have been a childhood friend, because he was not a disciple, but someone Jesus really cared for. He and his sisters believe Jesus was the Messiah.
So the sister send a messenger to inform Jesus that Lazarus is sick.

John assumes his readers know of these people even though they have not shown up before now in John’s text. So John gives us a partial introduction to them:

“¹ Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. ²It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.”

Oh yeah that Mary, who you have never mentioned nor have you told me the story of the women anointing Jesus and wiping his feet with her hair – which has not even happened yet. John would later tell us this story in chapter 12, so we’ll discuss it then.

“³Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love 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 may be glorified through it.”

When someone we love is sick, we all have the tendency to speak faith as our first response; “Oh they’ll make it!” And that is probably what the disciples thought Jesus was doing or Jesus was prophesying that he would get well.

It was no secret that:

“⁵Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.”

So, maybe he would pray from a distance and heal him. Or maybe He would rush there, to be by his side.
Have you ever stopped to think about how our reactions differ from Jesus’s and we often read these and think – well he knew stuff we did and we do not stop to think that maybe there is something wrong with us? Why do we long to see Jesus pray that very minute for Lazarus to be healed? Why do we long to see Jesus rush off to Bethany regardless of the fact that it threatens His life?
I’ll tell you – they are fear based responses and Jesus DOESN’T respond in fear. He responds in love. So yes, Jesus will heal him, but not in fear of losing him.

“⁶So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. ⁷Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

Did Jesus hang around until Lazarus was dead? No. We’ve calculated this before – If Jesus left immediately, Lazarus would have still been dead when Jesus arrived. And if Jesus was all knowing, He would have known rushing off in fear would make no difference. Except…

Back then it was NOT uncommon to bury dead people. Actually even 100 years ago, pronouncing someone dead was such a loose science that some culture put off burial just in case they woke up again.
Even today we have people who are pronounced dead wake up in the morgue. It is rare, but still happens.
So if Jesus arrived immediately, and called Lazarus out of the grave – many would wonder if it was just a case of declaring him dead too soon. With the delay, Lazarus was good and dead.

“⁸The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”

Not to mention the threat against his life! I am sure the Jews knew of the death of Lazarus. I bet they knew Jesus would want to come. They could have been waiting to ambush him. The messenger returns without Jesus and they think they have scared Him enough that He is not coming.

But lo! Jesus says they are going, now that time has passed.

“⁹Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. ¹⁰But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

This seems like a random and slightly off topic response to the question. The disciples asked Jesus if He really wanted to risk His life for this and Jesus basically asks them if they are of the light.
We know the Jews are of the darkness and evil. And so many ready this and focus on the conclusion of the Jews who want to stone Jesus as being in darkness – but the point Jesus was making was that the disciples too were behaving with a reaction to fear and not living in the light.
So when Jesus makes his next point, they think it is an explanation for why He will face the dark Jews.

“¹¹These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.
¹²Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” ¹³However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.
¹⁴Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. ¹⁵And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.”

Jesus really kind of snaps at them, here.
We must remember Jesus was fully human and fully God. So the human part must have been hurting bad – His friend is dead, He wants to be there, if He wasn’t also God and on a mission to save the word, He could have been there. Human emotions and Gods emotions are complex. And probably more intense since He knows and is real love.

Being human He could have had the same struggles to believe that you and I have. I am NOT saying Jesus ever doubted nor do I think He did. I am saying that it is a difficult struggle in the flesh to believe and thank God we do not need too much faith. I am believing for financial miracles (whiles sales are down and I can’t find side work). I believe God provides all our needs and will provide – and I am not doubting. I am however working through a process which includes combatting fear and anxiety from getting in. I think it is possible for Jesus to have been warring against the weaknesses of the flesh. It is also possible that the enemy was tempting Him to doubt, fear or be anxious, with whispers in His ears, like you and I experience. It is possible. Fighting them off, resisting them and overcoming them is not a sign of weakness, it is not a sign of failure – it is the nature of the battle. And if they is not happening, then you are not over the target.

So here I am struggling (meaning fighting off the enemy and working on resisting the urge to fear and have anxiety) to believe for provisions – while Jesus is over here believing for a life to be raised from the dead! Seriously, we ain’t the same, to my shame.

“¹⁶Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

To me, Thomas is more like Eeyore from Whinny the Pooh. He is not like the portrayal of Thomas on the show, The Chosen. Every time Thomas is quoted he is negative, but in a just speaking the truth, kind of way. Yes there is a chance for death – but Thomas, you could have spoken life!

Please join us tomorrow with our continued discussion on the Book of John.

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19 Feb 202317 Feb 2023

WEEKEND READING – 2-19-23

“In all labor there is profit, But idle chatter leads only to poverty.” Proverbs 14:23 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Proverbs chapter 14 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

The Ways of Life and Death

14 The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.

²He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.

³In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride,
But the lips of the wise will preserve them.

⁴Where no oxen are, the ^[a]trough is clean;
But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.

⁵A faithful witness does not lie,
But a false witness will utter lies.

⁶A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,
But knowledge is easy to him who understands.
⁷Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.
⁸The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But the folly of fools is deceit.

⁹Fools mock at ^[b]sin,
But among the upright there is favor.

¹⁰The heart knows its own bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.

¹¹The house of the wicked will be overthrown,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.

¹²There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

¹³Even in laughter the heart may sorrow,
And the end of mirth may be grief.

¹⁴The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways,
But a good man will be satisfied ^[c]from above.

¹⁵The simple believes every word,
But the prudent considers well his steps.
¹⁶A wise man fears and departs from evil,
But a fool rages and is self-confident.
¹⁷A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
And a man of wicked intentions is hated.
¹⁸The simple inherit folly,
But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
¹⁹The evil will bow before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

²⁰The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor,
But ^[d]the rich has many friends.
²¹He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

²²Do they not go astray who devise evil?
But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good.

²³In all labor there is profit,
But ^[e]idle chatter leads only to poverty.

²⁴The crown of the wise is their riches,
But the foolishness of fools is folly.

²⁵A true witness ^[f]delivers souls,
But a deceitful witness speaks lies.

²⁶In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And His children will have a place of refuge.
²⁷The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from the snares of death.

²⁸In a multitude of people is a king’s honor,
But in the lack of people is the downfall of a prince.

²⁹He who is slow to wrath has great understanding,
But he who is ^[g]impulsive exalts folly.

³⁰A sound heart is life to the body,
But envy is rottenness to the bones.

³¹He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker,
But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.

³²The wicked is banished in his wickedness,
But the righteous has a refuge in his death.

³³Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
But what is in the heart of fools is made known.

³⁴Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a ^[h]reproach to any people.

³⁵The king’s favor is toward a wise servant,
But his wrath is against him who causes shame.

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

“Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21 KJV