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Resurrection of Lazarus by Bonnat

Readings: Matthew 22:1-14, John 11

Sometime just before the Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem, Jesus' friend Lazarus was sick and then died. Jesus came to Bethany 4 days later to a family and a town mourning in grief for the loss of their brother and friend. It was here that Jesus did His greatest miracle and the one that showed people that He had power over death.  After being in the tomb for four days, Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" John 11:43 NLT And the dead man came out, bound in his grave clothes! Wow! When the people saw this, many of them believed in Jesus. Some of them went and told the Pharisees what Jesus had done. Feeling threatened by Jesus' miracles and popularity with the people;  the leaders called a high council meeting, asking one another "What are we going to do?... If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy our temple and our nation... So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus' death. " John 11: 47-53 NLT

Hind sight is always 20/20. For us to look back, we can see that what they did in that week did not prevent the Romans from destroying their temple and their nation. Rather their actions resulted in God judging their nation and allowing the Romans to destroy the temple and lovely Jerusalem, as well as scatter the Jews all over the world. Look at this quote in yesterdays post as Jesus looked over the city and wept:

Our Nation Grieves

Beautiful snow is falling outside our windows, yet our hearts are sad. I don't know about your house, but in our house we have shed many tears since the news yesterday about the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut.

This week as our nation was enthusiastically preparing to celebrate the joy of another Christmas Season, evil was afoot. As moms and dads were buying gifts for their little children in Newtown, Connecticut, a man was plotting their deaths. Now across the nation our hearts are breaking for the loss of these precious little ones. So many of our lives are touched with the joy of sweet innocent children that we love so deeply. It is unfathomable for us to even begin to imagine the level of evil that could look into the little faces in Newtown and kill them. How could this have happened?

The governor of Connecticut, Dannel Malloy said it so well,

“Evil visited this community today,”

Was it guns that killed those children, or was it evil in the heart of a man and a nation that tolerates, yes even celebrates evil? "Oh not that kind of evil", most would say. But evil left unfettered has unimaginable potential.

In my prayers today for these grieving parents, for the children who saw and heard things they will never forget, for the workers responding to the call and seeing the horror of what happened; what kept coming to me is our need to pray... to pray for them; but also to pray for our nation. Big changes need to happen in every heart if we are to correct this course of greater and greater evil. Where do we start? This is the verse that came to my heart,

"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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
2 Chronicles 7:14

This is a revival prayer that focuses on the responsibility of God's people to seek Him for mercy for their nation after sin has brought its desolation, plague, and judgments. This verse is God's chosen way of restoration, which is through the prayers of His people. We seek His Face by praying for a fuller revelation of His Glory. (See Isaiah 6 or Revelation 1) And in that place of seeing God's Glory, we see our own true nature, the sins God wants us to turn away from... very humbling indeed. Then God will hear us, forgive us and heal our nation.

The real answer is the real Reason for the Season... Jesus:

"Joseph,... do not be afraid to take to you Mary as your wife, 
for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call from Jesus,
for He will save His people FROM their sins."
Matthew 1: 20,21

Jesus is our hope to deliver us from the darkness of sin... to save us from our sins, not just in our sins as we continue to live in them.  Isaiah and Zechariah prophecies about His Coming:

"The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine."
Isaiah 9:6 NLT
"Because of God's tender mercy, 
the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in the shadow of death,
and to guide us to the path of peace."
Luke 1:78,79 NLT

I pray that the light of Christ will dawn on our nation once again

PS, here is an article from World Net Daily that tells of the incident and give quotes from Franklin Graham, Greg Laurie and Ray Comfort
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2012/12/school-massacre-evil-visited-today/#HdpmGJWxDuPIgC7T.99

His Grace Rains and Shines on All

Reading: Isaiah 55:10,11, Matthew 5:45, and Chronicles

"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from my mouth..." Isaiah 55:10 NKJ

"...your Father in Heaven... makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust." Matthew 4:45 NKJ

Have you ever stopped and considered the blessing of rain and snow. Some years back, I painted a small landscape piece called Water of Life. The image came from my mom's ranch; which is in the foothills of the Oregon Cascade Mountain range. Above her ranch is a large volcano, that is covered with snow most of the year. We see it from down here in the valley, a huge sentinel rising in the east above our city.  As the snow melts; it fills lakes and rivers that come down and wind through valleys, watering trees and greening pastures. Even in the heat of the summer the snow on that mountain (and another mountain), provides irrigation for ranches, and even our city water. It blesses everyone who uses it as it winds through the valleys on its way to the sea.

In the Isaiah verse above, God's word is compared to rain and snow. Just as He showers all people with the blessing of His rain and snow; so His word graciously goes out to all, to everyone on the earth and blesses those who will listen.  Do we as people really have any choice, or is this all predetermined? Some people teach that we have no choice, that it is all predetermined. I believe that there is a great mystery at work here... that I can not even begin to explain. To explain this one would be to enlarge myself and diminish the glory and mystery of God. I think it best to see what God chooses to reveal to us in His word. One thing I see is that through out the Bible, from beginning to the end people are making choices... good ones and some really bad ones, too. The list is so huge I do not have the time and space to enumerate them. (Though, I will add a post with a letter from a friend who does a great job with this.) Secondly, I see places that indicate God's choosing at work as well.  In attempting to explain the mysteries here, people can get carried away on either side of the debate and try to explain the interface of the Sovereign choice of God and the choice of human beings. In fact through history, in trying to explain this mystery people have got caught up in heated disputes, division and pride on both sides; none of which is becoming as a child of God; nor has this kind of attitude helped people to come to Christ.  Should any of us mere mortals be in the business of evaluating who is and who is not chosen? And worse yet, tell someone that they are not chosen? Many have tragically fallen away because of this.

Thirdly, I also see in my own reading and understanding of God's word is a God who is seeking those whose hearts are loyal and turned toward Him. The word indicates that we have a choice in this matter. King David told his son Solomon the following as he was preparing him to be the king of Israel.

"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast your off forever. " 1Chronicles 28:9 NKJ

Though we can not know God without Him revealing Himself to us; He does reveal Himself through His word and when we spend time coming into His Presence, by faith. When we turn to Him, seek Him, we will find Him. He desires to reveal Himself, even more than we desire to find Him.

What better legacy could we pass on to our children than teach them to choose to seek and love God with whole hearted devotion and a mind willing to obey Him? God gives this command through Moses:

"Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is One! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words I command you shall be in your heart You shall diligently teach them to your children..." Deuteronomy 6: 4-9 NKJ

Then he goes on and explains all the ways to teach these things to your children... "talk about them as you sit in your house, walk by the way, lie down and rise up..."                                                     

Back to our verse in I Chronicles it says that the Lord is searching the hearts of people. Why is He doing that? This verse in II Chronicles gives us a glimpse:

"The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed (loyal) to Him." II Chronicles 16:9 NLT

As His eyes search the whole earth, He seeking just a little flicker of faith that He can strengthen.

Why would He search the whole earth for committed hearts if this was completely predetermined? Should we even concern ourselves with who is and is not chosen? Is it not better for each and everyone of us to fully commit to God with our whole heart and encourage all others who will listen to do the same?

A Still Small Voice

Reading: I Kings 19:9-13

Have you heard God speak to you? What does His voice sound like?

Here is a favorite OT story on hearing the voice of God. We join Elijah, the prophet who after fleeing the wrath of Jezebel into the wilderness goes to Sinai, the mountain of God:

"And there he went into a cave, and spent the night... and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said... 'What are you doing here Elijah?... Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice."

So it was, when Elijah heard it, 

hat he wrapped his face in his mantle and 

went out and stood in the entrance of the cave." 

I Kings 19:9-13

In seeking God's voice in our life, do we think we do not hear, because His voice is not accompanied with awesome signs? He does not drown out the noise of our busy lives. It is difficult to "see" Him or "hear" Him when the screens of our mind are full. He calls us to a quiet place in mind and heart to hear His still small voice.

"... when you pray, go into your room,
and when you have shut the door,
pray to your Father who is in the secret place;
and your Father who sees in secret
will reward you openly."
Matt. 6:6

"Be still and know that I am God;"
Psalm 46:10

Is God Calling Me?

Reading: I Samuel 3:1-10, Utmost 2/13

Are we listening? Do we recognize His voice?

Young Samuel, just a boy, lived in the temple with Eli the priest and ministered before the Lord. One night, in the we hours of the morning, just before the lamp stand exhausted all the oil and burnt out, the Lord called Samuel. Samuel ran to Eli and said "Here I am, for you called me." Eli said, "I did not call you; lie down again. This happened again. Up to this time Samuel did not know the Lord nor was the word of the Lord revealed to him yet. When it happened the third time, Eli perceived it was the Lord calling Samuel and said to him. "Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, 'Speak, Lord for Your Servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Now the Lord came and stood
and called as at other times,
"Samuel! Samuel!"
And Samuel answered,
"Speak, for Your servant is listening."
From I Samuel 3:1-10.

Samuel had a special prophetic call on his life, even as child, much like Jeremiah. At first he did not realize it was God calling to him and Eli needed to let him know what was happening. He taught him as a father. We as parents and grandparents have the privilege of helping our young ones learn to hear God speak to them. It says in Joel 2:28 "... I will pour out My Spirit on all people; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy..."

Think of Jesus when He said "... unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven... whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 18:1-4 Little children are completely humble and trusting of their parents. They are always aware of where their parents are and want to be near them. In the Chronicles of Narnia, I see Lucy like this. She is always looking for Aslan and aware of every breath of His Spirit. She see's things the older children don't see, because they are caught up in solving problems. In Prince Caspian, the battle was lost when they charged off in a sense of urgency; then later won when little Lucy showed up with Aslan at the bridge. Oh that we as adults would remain humble and trusting of God, desiring to be near Him, aware of His presence and looking to Him in times of need.

In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers' February 13th reading says regarding this passage in 1 Samuel. "If I am united with Jesus Christ, I hear God all the time through the Devotion of Hearing. A Flower, a tree, or a servant of God may convey God's message to me. What hinders me from hearing is my attention to other things... even to service... my own convictions. God may say whatever He wants, but I just don't hear him. The attitude of child of God should always be, "Speak for Your servant hears." If I have not developed and nurtured this devotion of hearing, I can only hear God's voice at certain times. At other times I become deaf to Him because my attention is to other things..."

"Have you heard God's voice today?"

What do You Hear?

Reading: Mark 4:24, Luke 8:18

"Consider carefully what you hear".
Mark 4:24

What are we listening to? We live in an information age, a media age, with voices coming from our radio's, TV's, computers, email, Facebook, Twitter, and now even our phones. News, commentary, how to eat, exercise, how to live, how to do anything you can imagine, so many voices! Our schedules are fast paced and we scarcely have time to connect with our families, let alone our friends and neighbors. So coming aside to spend time with Jesus, to listen to Him speak to our hearts can be challenging.

What are we hearing? Imagine all those signals mentioned above, as radio waves we can tune into. There are rock and roll stations, jazz, classical and talk. Some of them have strong signals that are loud and easy to find and others you have to search for. Now, imagine the voice of God as a frequency we can tune into. It is not going to be loud, flashy or competing for attention, but quiet and you need to be in a quiet place, usually with your Bible open to hear it. Then, hopefully those words will abide in our heart, find expression in our life as we love those around us.

"With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and even more."
Mark 4:24

Basically, the more we drink from the well of living water, the more we will be refreshed by the water of life. If we use what God is stirring in us; He will give more of His word for us to hear. Jesus speaks of hearing His word and putting it into practice.

"Therefore, consider carefully how you listen".
Luke 8:18

How do we hear? Here are some sweet, simple suggestions from Madame Guyon who lived in France in the mid 1600's to the early 1700's... Come to the Lord quietly and humbly. Take in a small portion of scripture. Take it in fully, gently and carefully. Taste it and digest it, until you have sensed the very heart what

of you have read. Take the portion that has really touch ed you and turn it into a prayer. Praying the scripture is not judged by how much you read but by the way in which you read. If you read quickly, it will benefit you little. You will be like the bee that merely skims the surface of a flower. In this new way of reading with prayer, you will be like the bee that penetrates into the depths of the flower. You will plunge deeply within to remove its deepest nectar.

"Who ever has will be given more; and whoever does not have, 

even what he thinks he has will be taken from him."
Luke 8:18

When we seek God how do we hear?
Our faith comes from hearing the message of salvation through the words of Jesus, and our faith in hearing Him grows in hearing His words. It is in reading His words that we learn to recognize His voice. Believe God will speak to you through His word. You will grow more and more in hearing His voice.

"... faith comes from hearing the message,
and the message is heard through the word of Christ..."
Romans 10:17