If my people will pray
2 Chronicles 7:14 (New International Version)
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Yesterday, May 6, was the National Day of Prayer in the United States. I had sent emails to two of the Sunday School classes in our church to ask for participation in the events on the steps of our state Capitol building. Four of us attended the services, which sounds pretty pitiful until I tell you that there were probably not more than thirty-five people in attendance at the noontime service. We are in the Bible belt, and less than fifty people came to pray for our nation, for our churches, for our leaders, for our schools, for our businesses, and for the media.
What has happened in our churches and in our country? Do people see what is occurring both in America and abroad?
I have noticed a dearth of prayer in my own church for quite some time, and am convinced that the root of the problem is in the breakdown of the family. What we are seeing in our churches and in our land is a mere reflection of what is occurring in our homes. Our families are not praying the way we used to, or the way we need to, and because we have turned from our first love a deep and abiding apathy seems to have infected our lives. Will it take another 9/11 to send us to our knees or are we too far gone for even another national tragedy to drive us to repentance.
2 Chronicles 7:14 is not a suggestion, it is an offer of restoration made to us by the one true and living God. We can heed His call and be saved, or we can continue to turn away and suffer the consequences. The choice is yours. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Josh 24:15)
Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead
Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead
John 11:38Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39″Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
40Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
I have heard it said that Jesus’ words were so powerful, that had He not called out Lazarus by name that all of the dead in the tombs would have arisen. What a sight that would have been!
Look at the order of what occurred here.
- First, Jesus says, “take away the stone.”
- Next, Martha objects because the stench of death would be strong
- Jesus answers that He is about to reveal the glory of God
- Jesus thanks the Father for what He is about to do.
- Jesus calls Lazarus forth.
- Lazarus emerges.
Jesus and the Father were One, so He had no need to pray that God would resurrect Lazarus, He only needed to thank Him for what was about to happen. This miracle of God was not just an act of compassion, it was a foreshadowing of what would occur following Jesus’ death. It was yet another way to prepare the disciples for what was about to come.
There are so many parallels in the Scriptures, but we sometimes overlook them. I pray that as we read God’s word the depth of meaning would be revealed, and that the miracle of resurrection would bring new life to each of us.
Jesus Comforts the Sisters
I am the resurrection and the life
The Death of Lazarus
John 11
The Death of Lazarus
1Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. 3So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”
4When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.
7Then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
8″But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?”
9Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light. 10It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.”
11After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”
12His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
14So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
16Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
The death of a loved one is something for which we are never prepared. Even if the one we love has been through an extended illness which will necessarily end in death, we are shocked when death ultimately occurs.
Jesus had already demonstrated to His followers that He was capable of healing the sick, but up until now He had not raised anyone from the dead. Notice verse 4 and verses 14 and 15 that Jesus said what is happening to Lazarus is for God’s glory, and so that His disciples would believe.
At this point, the disciples do not know what to anticipate. Their chief concern is that Jesus is returning to a location where His enemies had threatened to stone Him. Although the disciples did not know what they would face, Thomas said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
I don’t think Thomas is referring to Lazarus when he says, let us die with him, I think he is referring to being willing to die with Jesus if need be. The death of Lazarus is a defining moment in Jesus’ ministry. Come back tomorrow for more…
The Unbelief of the Jews
The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.
Seeking Holiness 