John 11:17-27 "ONE LESSON, ONE MESSAGE, ONE GOSPEL!"

John 11:17-27

17So having come, Jesus found him four days already having been in the tomb. 18Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia away (1.7 miles, 2.75 kilometers). 19And many of the Jews had come around Martha and Mary, so that they should comfort them concerning their brother.             

20Then Martha, when she heard that Jesus is coming, met Him. But Mary was sitting in the house. 21So Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You were here my brother would not have died. 22But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give to You.” 23Jesus says to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24Martha says to Him, “I know that he will rise again, in the Resurrection on the last day.” 25Jesus said to her, “I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE! THE ONE BELIEVING IN ME, EVEN IF HE DIES, HE WILL LIVE! 26AND ALL LIVING AND BELIEVING, (TRUSTING) IN ME SHALL BY NO MEANS DIE INTO THE AGE! (fig.,SHALL NEVER DIE!) "Are you convinced of this?” 27She says to Him, “Yes, Lord, I am convinced that YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, THE ONE COMING INTO THE WORLD.”

Good Day Child of God! "Father? Please lead and teach us this day. This lesson, this message, your Words are too important to not have you press them on willing hearts. Amen."

We've only just begun, and the lesson and message cannot be more easily stated than it is. What would convince anyone to take these simple words stated above and change them into some complicated religion of various required activities when Jesus Himself is speaking Truth in Love and in Spirit?

Today's easy lesson: It  seems to me that there could be little left to say after what has been said already. However, there is something that happens between the verses above and other supporting verses in the Bible that proclaim the same things that people find a way to twist them around. All they accomplish in the end is confusion and misdirection, except that the Bible and the basic Gospel are carried forward. In the end, those from the lowest to the highest ranks of Christianity pass away, whether they have gained Life or not is something you and I do not know, only the Father knows. Yet His Words, as Jesus proclaimed, will never die. That leaves those with a mind of seriousness of an interest in God, His Love, His Will, and His Ways, will find the Truth, and that Truth will set them free.

How does this help you in your daily walk with the Father? What we seem to miss is so easy, maybe it is too easy. If we give our will to the Father, ask Him to Live and Love through us every moment of every day, leading us, not we deciding and asking for His Blessing, is this; The Father will know of your needs, your wants, and your expectations, but more, He knows you inside and out. How? Simply by the facts that the Holy Spirit indwells you, and that you have given Him information through your conversations with Him as you would your best friend on earth. Then He knows what to do, when your prayer would be best to come to fruition, and whatever your prayer, the answer the Father comes up with is the best answer. You can find joy if your get your expectation, and you can feel joy if something different that would be a better result considering all the things you don't know that are going on around you or in your future.

We are all so busy, just taking time to say a simple "Thanks for lunch Father" is difficult, never mind getting into conversations about your secret life. Remember, the Father wants you to be close to Him, so He can show you He Loves you, He understands you, and in the end, where fear can grip you most, fear is no where to be found, because you know the Truth is you are not going to die, just change your old worldly clothes, this frail human body, for a new body, a new life, even a new name. The excitement of being in a new world where goodness and your fondest wishes are the norm, is more than just a hope then, it is a reality. 

What about fear here on a daily basis? "Is this or that going to happen, what should I do, or not do?" Give it to your Father and follow Him, and the fear will subside with experience, because He is Faithful to you, not so much the other way around. Have a Grace Day!

Brother Glenn
Complete New Testament Grace Studies link: http://gracehouseministry.blogspot.com/

John 11:11-16 "The Example Of Raising Lazarus From The Dead"

John 11:11-16

11These words He said, and after this He says to them, “Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I shall wake him up.” 12Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be cured.” 13But Jesus had spoken concerning his death, but those ones thought that He is speaking concerning the resting of sleep. 14So then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus has died. 15And I rejoice for your sake that I was not there, so that you shall believe. But we shall be going to him.” 16Therefore Thomas, the one being called Didymus [“Twin”], said to his fellow-disciples, “Let us also go so that we shall die with Him." 

Good Day Child of God! "Father? Please teach me and help me to remember Your Wisdom." 

Just in case you don't remember what came before this paragraph, the Disciples questioned Jesus about the wisdom of going to see Martha, Mary, and Lazarus when the Jews were seeking to find Jesus and stone Him to death. Jesus told them there is only so much time to get His work accomplished, even while He took His time to start the journey to Lazarus, days in fact, He intended to show the Apostles that the Power of God could bring the dead back to Life.

There is a small problem in this story. It is spread out among many more verses, too many in fact to make the reading and teaching of them all at once. The lesson is not difficult if you think as God and Jesus do, in Spirit, not flesh. Let's take a quick look what that means and how it affects your prayers.

Today's easy lesson:  Many of are taught the Bible from the earthly perspective. Never mind that, as well, we are taught it out of context, which makes it even more difficult to understand. If you look at the situation above, you will find that someone has to be praying that Jesus would get there and heal Lazarus so that he wouldn't die. Jesus could easily have done that. Jesus in fact tarried two days before leaving to deal with this situation. My question would be, as I would think many have thought, "Why wait, you could save many broken hearts by healing Lazarus sooner rather than coming later as you are doing?" This is simple. The Father wants Jesus to prove that He, and by He, Jesus is included, can turn death into Life. If you are looking for a quick, easy solution, something that helps your needs alone, your prayer would be self centered and in your thinking unanswered in this case. However, standing outside looking in, you can see that Jesus heal Lazarus, just a bit more dramatically. Again as a younger Christian I often wondered why the big spectacle of raising Lazarus from the dead. I realize there is more to it now, but most Christians don't get it. 

How does this help you in your daily walk with God? The Bible states that we don't know how to pray, but the Spirit interprets for us. It also says that time for God is different than it is for people. Lastly, as a Christian, we tend to go to God with a laundry list of needs, sometimes hoping the entire list is answered immediately, not one at a time. Here is the problem. God fits many situations together like a picture puzzle giving help in different ways to different people all at the same time, and/or He knows of something that you don't that has to occur, and you must wait. We don't like to wait, our humanity is weak, but the Father answers in Spirit. He, once again, knows things you do not, and in order to enjoy your requests to be answered as you would want them to be, you must follow the Father, not lead Him. You cannot tell Him what to do, even as our "twin" brother above was ready to go and die with Jesus at what he thought was going to be a fight to the death, not the dead brought back to Life. 

God is more interested in His relationship with each of us than He is with some things we find important in our physical life. The only way you get all of your prayers answered that will result in you feeling peace, love, joy, calm, gentleness, kindness, patience, and self-control, is to follow the Father. Don't do and ask for His Blessing. That is backwards. Follow His lead and accept His gift of Life, which is what Jesus is emulating Salvation using Lazarus. You too would laugh at the site of a former dead man walking out of his grave like a mummy and coming into the loving arms of those he cared for so very much. Who won in this situation? The Apostles, the friends, Lazarus? They all did. You see? Follow, don't lead, and your Life will bear fruit, even if at times the fruit is just for you. Have a Grace Day!

Brother Glenn 
Entire New Testament: http://gracehouseministry.blogspot.com/