Video Bible Lesson - God's Grand Plan by Dr. Charles Stanley

1/2 Hour of God’s Power with Scott Ralls

3/31/2020

God's Grand Plan
Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
It's amazing but true that God's grand plan for your life is far greater than you can imagine. In fact, this earth-bound existence has us so preoccupied with the demands of life that most of us give little thought to what it will mean to be completely sanctified.
In the Christian life, sanctification is a three-stage process. At the moment of salvation, God sets us apart for Himself. Then throughout the rest of our earthly life, He works to transform us into the image of His Son. One day, however, there will be a glorious culmination to our sanctification. Presently, we all struggle with sin, but when we die, our spirits and souls will ascend to heaven and be completely sinless. Then we'll see our Savior face to face and experience unimaginable joy. No longer will we struggle with the pride of life or the lusts of the flesh and the eyes (1 John 2:16).
However, as great as this will be, it's not yet the final step. Some day in the future, Jesus will descend from heaven, bringing with Him the souls of those who have died in Christ. They will be united with their resurrected bodies, and believers who are still alive on the earth will be changed (1 Thess. 4:14-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-54). Then sanctification will be complete--spirit, soul, and body.
This is not a fairy tale, but the believer appointed destiny. God Himself promises to bring it to pass. We'll walk in His presence, spotless and without blame, for all eternity. Knowing this, how will you live today? The promise of salvation isn’t meant just to give hope, but to spur us on to holy living.

#Jesus, #Christian, #Bible, #Salvation, #Heaven, #God, #HolySpirit

Acquiring Great Faith.....

Acquiring Great Faith

Dr. Charles Stanley

Hebrews 11:17-19

I’ve had people tell me, “I wish that I had great faith.” While most of us would like God to just drop that kind of confidence into our laps, it’s not the way He operates. Faith increases as a result of our obedience in little things. We all marvel at Abraham’s willingness to offer up Isaac at the Lord’s command. But have you ever stopped to consider all of his smaller steps of submission that prepared the way for this enormous test?

Throughout his lifetime, Abraham obeyed God. At the Lord’s command, he left his country (Gen 12:1-4), was circumcised (17:10, 26), conceived Isaac in his old age (21:1-3), and sent his son Ishmael away (21:9-14). By the time he was asked to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, he already knew that his God would always be faithful to His promises. His previous experiences had taught Him to trust the Lord.

In the same way, each small step of obedience solidifies our confidence in God. Then, when He challenges us with a more difficult assignment, a firm foundation of assurance enables us to trust and obey Him. Great acts of faith flow from our past interactions with the Lord. By neglecting His simple commands, we miss priceless opportunities to witness His faithfulness.

Having trouble trusting God for something big? Maybe it’s because you’ve ignored those “small” and “insignificant” promptings of the Holy Spirit. The Lord considers each of His commands important and promises to reward every act of obedience, regardless of size. Great faith begins with little steps.

Searching for God’s Most Intimate Blessings

Searching for God’s Most Intimate Blessings
CRAIG GROESCHEL

“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’” Luke 22:19 (NIV)

One cold night in January, Amy and I sat in a cozy room with several other couples talking about dangerous prayers. I was struck by the contrast of our discussion. Despite the miserably cold evening outside, we sat in a comfortable living room with a warm fire blazing in the corner. With stomachs full of chili and cornbread, we turned to what it would mean to pray one dangerous prayer in particular: “Lord, break me.”

By saying this, we were basically asking God to break us of our sin, help us die to self, and totally surrender to Him.

We agreed we all wanted to pray it, but we couldn’t deny being afraid of the consequences.

The first woman who spoke acknowledged her struggle. A loving wife and mother, she’d followed Jesus faithfully since high school. She served in the kids’ ministry at church, tithed faithfully, helped foster children and attended a weekly Bible study.

But when confronted with the option of asking God to break her, she refused.

“I’ve got to be honest,” she said. “I don’t want to ask God to break me. I’m afraid of what will happen. I have four kids. I love them too much. Asking God to break me is too scary for me to pray. What if I get sick or I’m pulled away from my family?” Other people in the group nodded in agreement. We all understood her struggle.

Looking back, I see why we reacted the way we did — the way most of us do when we consider praying something as bold as “break me.” But I also suspect most of us don’t realize that by playing it safe, we also risk missing something far more precious than our security and comfort. I know I’ve found this true in my life when I simply don’t realize what blessings might be on the other side of God’s breaking.

In the Gospels, Jesus Himself broke something.

At the Last Supper, Jesus offered His disciples bread, using the grain to foreshadow His imminent suffering and death, the breaking of His own body. He explained to His disciples that He must offer His life. He shared, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13, NLT).

When Luke described the same meal in his Gospel, he noted one phrase in his account the other three Gospels don’t mention. Luke said, “And [Jesus] took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me’” (Luke 22:19).

Many believe Jesus’ instruction to “do this” goes beyond taking communion. It also refers to how we are to live. Because Jesus’ body was broken, because His blood was poured out for us, we too should live daily for Him, broken and poured out.

Jesus isn’t inviting us to a life of comfort and ease but one of surrender and sacrifice. Our highest desire shouldn’t be for our will to be done, but for His will to be done. And Jesus is inviting us to die to our own lives so we can live moment by moment, day by day — for Him. To leave our cozy living rooms and safe prayers in order to know what it means to be broken for the sake of others.

It makes me wonder: What if when Jesus said, “do this,” He was inviting us to a life of humility, sacrifice, generosity and joy? What if, instead of praying, “God protect me and bless me,” we invite God to do something deeper? What if we embrace the truth that trials can strengthen our faith? That hurting can make us more compassionate? That suffering can draw us closer to Christ?

And what if I had the courage, the audacity, the faith to pray, Dear God, break me …? What if I, too, lived a broken and poured‐out life for Christ?

It takes faith. It’s not a safe prayer. There is no question it’s dangerous.

But God’s most intimate blessings await on the other side.

Dear Lord, give me courage. Help me trust You so much that I’m willing to pray the words, “God, break me,” because I know You will always work for my ultimate good. Make me more like Your Son each day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Jeremiah 17:7-8, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (NIV)

A Prayer for Rejection

A Prayer for RejectionBy Lysa Terkeurst

“The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.” Psalm 34:19 (NIV)

The enemy loves to take our rejection and twist it into a raw, irrational fear that God really doesn’t have a good plan for us.

This fear is a corrupting companion. It replaces the truths we’ve trusted with hopeless lies. Satan knows what consumes us controls us. Therefore the more consumed we are with rejection, the more he can control our emotions, our thinking and our actions.

So what’s a brokenhearted person to do? We must take back control from something or someone that was never meant to have it and declare God as Lord. To help us see how we can practice this when the worries of rejection try to control us, here are three things to remember and proclaim.

1. One Rejection is Not a Projection of Future Failures

It’s good to acknowledge the hurt, but don’t see it as a permanent hindrance. Move on from the source of the rejection, and don’t let it shut you down in that arena of life. It has already stolen enough from your present. Don’t let it reach into your future. Replace the negative talk that will hinder you. Replace it with praises for God, who will deliver you.

2. There is Usually Some Element of Protection Wrapped in Every Rejection

This is a hard one to process at the time of the rejection. But for many of my past rejections, I can look back and see how God was allowing things to unfold the way they did for my protection. In His mercy, He allowed this.

3. This is a Short-Term Setback, Not a Permanent Condition

The emotions that feel so intense today will ease up over time as long as we let them. We just have to watch how we think and talk about this rejection. If we give it the power to define us, it will haunt us long-term. But if we only allow it enough power to refine us, the hurt will give way to healing.

Father God, I don’t understand this situation. But I do understand Your goodness to me. Help me replace the fears threatening to consume me with truth. I know You love me, You are for me, and I absolutely can trust You with all of my heart. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Is Satan Behind Your Facebook Page?

Is Satan Behind Your Facebook Page?
By Topher Haddox

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

I believe that social media can be an effective platform for the spread of the gospel. There are plenty of Christ-centered resources in the online community that I use on a daily basis to help me grow spiritually. But if we’re honest, we probably spend a small portion of our time advancing our spiritual growth, while the rest is spent on aimless scrolling. We spend hours a day consuming endless information, pictures, and videos without any safeguard for our minds. For Christians, I’ve found that this is dangerous territory. This potentially turns the mind into an open plain, with Satan prowling through the grass like a lion, waiting to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

Here are four ways the enemy tries to devour you through social media:

Satan wants your marriage.

It starts with a like here, and a like there. She’s only a friend. You justify the innocent interaction of the like button because it doesn’t cross any solid lines. You gradually push the boundary line further and further back. Maybe the likes and comments lead to private conversations. Remember, sin is never satisfied with the amount of you it has.

Sooner or later you are hiding conversations from your spouse. Before you know it, you’re involved in a mental, perhaps even a physical affair.

Satan wants your pure thoughts.

We live in a pornographic culture and it is almost impossible to avoid while scrolling. Couple that with the ease of giving into lustful thoughts and it’s a disaster for holy living.

Satan will whisper that it’s okay to look because there’s no harm. Who’s going to know? It can be your little pet sin. But it won’t stop there.

Keep your heart pure and fixed on the Father. Get rid of anything that might hinder that. It’s absolutely worth it, and deadly if you don’t.

Satan wants your time.

Psalm 1 tells us the blessed man meditates day and night on the Word of God. How can we know what to pray unless we meditate on His Word? How can we read the Word, much less meditate on it day and night if we’re constantly scrolling through social media? We’re simply choosing the pleasures of this world rather than spending time with the God of the universe. It’s that simple.

Because we’re not pursuing God like we should, we get bored and are attempting to fill the void with constant entertainment.

Satan wants your worship.

Social media can train us to worship the idol of self. We essentially create mini shrines of ourselves, striving for praise via the almighty like.

You can’t be self-absorbed and have compassion for others. If the enemy can keep us distracted by keeping our faces buried in a screen, then we won’t be able to see the hurting world around us. We certainly won’t be missions-minded if we’re consumed with our own lives.

In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul tells us to glorify God in whatever we do. This includes social media. We can either wield Facebook for God’s glory, or Satan’s.

Good News

Good News

Jack Graham

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
--1 Corinthians 15:1-4

Doesn't it seem that bad news is all around us? It's always the top story on the news or the main headline in the paper.

But as believers, we know the best news we could ever hear… and we celebrate it this month.

Easter is the day we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the grave. This is the event that conquered sin… it conquered death… and it made it possible for you and me to have a personal relationship with God!

Perhaps, today, this is the first time you've ever heard or understood this Good News. 

If so, I want to tell you something: Jesus died on the cross for you. He wore a crown of thorns and was nailed to a tree because He loves you… and He wants to have a personal relationship with you today.

Video Bible Lesson - Why We Should be Thankful for Unanswered Prayers By: Jennifer Heeren

1/2 Hour of God’s Power with Scott Ralls

3/30/2020

Why We Should be Thankful for Unanswered Prayers
By: Jennifer Heeren

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.” (2 Peter 1:5-9)
This Scripture passage speaks of making every effort to respond to God’s promises and add to my faith moral excellence, and to that knowledge. Then add self-control mixed with patient endurance. And godliness. And brotherly affection. And love for all. The more I learn and grow in those ways, the more useful I will be on earth.
I’ve prayed for many things over the years. Favor on job interviews. A loving husband. Car repair bills to be lower than I expect. Benign biopsies. A baby. My list of desires can go on and on.
I’ve also prayed for friends, family, and acquaintances. Healing from accidents and diseases. Cancer to go into remission. Successful surgeries. Safe travels.
God always answers our prayers. But the answer isn’t always a “yes.” Sometimes it is “no” and sometimes it’s “not now.”
Wouldn’t it be great if I could ask for something from God and He always answered quickly with a definite yes? It seems like that would be wonderful, but would it actually be a good thing?
Our whims aren’t necessarily God’s will.
I don’t always pray for His will. I need to take all my whims and thoughts to God so that He can shape them into something more fitting to the way He originally designed me. God doesn’t owe me anything, especially not my whims. However, He does promise me that He will provide the things I need—food, drink, clothing, etc.
We can’t see the entire situation.
I can only see what is right in front of me. So, I need to rely on the judgment of an omniscient God if I truly desire what is best. I can keep a prayer journal so I can read about things that I desired in the past. Then I realize that God did indeed answer a lot of those requests. Sometimes with an “immediate yes.” Often with a better “wait for this other thing.”
A yes to everything we want is not how we were created.
If I did get a yes to every prayer, wouldn’t that make me more of a god than God? He would be at my beck and call. I should always be coming to Him to ask if something is a good idea or not, not the other way around. God’s ways are so much higher than mine. He is able through His mighty power to accomplish infinitely more than I can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
Unanswered prayers lead us to stronger relationships with God.
God wants me to come to Him with everything, not just get what I want and then forget about Him. He deserves my attention even when I don’t get what I want. God desires me to want Him, even more than what I’m asking for.
Unanswered prayers teach us to put our hope in God.
Psalm 62:5 says, “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.” My hope is in Him, not in my wants or even in my needs. He knows what I need before I even ask Him anyway. He is patient with me until I see my subtle real needs instead of my glaring wants.
Unanswered prayers serve the purpose of leading me to the ultimate gift—peace of mind and heart (John 14:27). A peace that comes from trusting my Creator and Designer with EVERY aspect of my life. I’m not saying that this is easy to do. It’s a constant battle of my will vs. His best. But when I stop fighting, there is a peace and an absence of fear. Peace of mind and soul is much better than a temporary “yes.”

#Jesus, #Christian, #Bible, #Salvation, #Heaven, #God, #HolySpirit

Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert

Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow" (Isa. 50:11).

What a solemn warning to those who walk in darkness and yet who try to help themselves out into the light. They are represented as kindling a fire, and compassing themselves with sparks. What does this mean?

Why, it means that when we are in darkness the temptation is to find a way without trusting in the Lord and relying upon Him. Instead of letting Him help us out, we try to help ourselves out. We seek the light of nature, and get the advice of our friends. We try the conclusions of our reason, and might almost be tempted to accept a way of deliverance which would not be of God at all.

All these are fires of our own kindling; rushlights that will surely lead us onto the shoals. And God will let us walk in the light of those sparks, but the end will be sorrow.

Beloved, do not try to get out of a dark place, except, in God's time and in God's way. The time of trouble is meant to teach you lessons that you sorely need. Premature deliverance may frustrate God's work of grace in your life. Just commit the whole situation to Him. Be willing to abide in darkness so long as you have His presence.

Remember that it is better to walk in the dark with God than to walk alone in the light.
--The Still Small Voice

Cease meddling with God's plans and will. You touch anything of His, and you mar the work. You may move the hands of a clock to suit you, but you do not change the time; so you may hurry the unfolding of God's will, but you harm and do not help the work. You can open a rosebud but you spoil the flower. Leave all to Him. Hands down. Thy will, not mine.
--Stephen Merritt

HIS WAY

God bade me go when I would stay
('Twas cool within the wood);
I did not know the reason why.
I heard a boulder crashing by
Across the path where I stood.
He bade me stay when I would go;
"Thy will be done," I said.
They found one day at early dawn,
Across the way I would have gone,
A serpent with a mangled head.
No more I ask the reason why,
Although I may not see
The path ahead, His way I go;
For though I know not, He doth know,
And He will choose safe paths for me.
--The Sunday School Times

What Does It Mean to Be Saved......Dr. Charles Stanley

What Does It Mean to Be Saved

Dr. Charles Stanley

Psalms 25:12

What makes a person acceptable to God? The path to redemption begins not with the decision to live a better life or to stop doing something wrong, but with the realization that we cannot correct our sinful nature. To find favor with the Lord, we must grasp that it's impossible to make ourselves righteous; instead, we need to depend on the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. When we trust in Christ as our Savior, God the Father applies the benefit of Jesus' atoning sacrifice to our sin debt, thereby making us "saved," or acceptable in His eyes.

Your good works and righteous acts are of absolutely no value in the mind of God. Compared to others' actions, your generosity and good works might seem like enough to bring favor with the Lord, but Jesus said, "Not as a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Eph. 2:9). When you stand before God, the only way you can be forgiven of your sins is through Jesus Christ and His sacrificial, substitutionary atoning death at Calvary. Jesus came to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

Jesus' public crucifixion was a demonstration of God's hatred for sin and immense love for mankind. He who was blameless bore the penalty for all in order that wicked, corrupt people could be made righteous.

No matter what you've done, you can be cleansed of the stain left by sin. Confess any known transgressions and turn from them; then Jesus will forgive you and write your name in the Lamb's Book of Life (1 John 1:9; Rev. 21:27). By trusting in Him, you are assured of eternity in His presence.

When the Rooster Crows

When the Rooster Crows
ANITHA ABRAHAM

“And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.” Luke 22:61-62 (ESV)

When we discuss conflict in our marriage small group, my husband will ask each spouse, “What are your ‘trigger words’?”

We often associate a trigger with some type of ammunition. A trigger word has a similar effect, in that it has the ability to set something off. No matter who you are, married or not, we all have particular words that might not start a fight on the outside, but something still hits us wrong on the inside.

I have my own trigger word. When I hear this word, even in casual conversation, my heart immediately drops and sometimes, I tear up. It reminds me of a part of my life that didn’t turn out how I thought it would. The word may be insignificant to most people, but for me, it’s a constant admonition of how I disappointed the people closest to me.

Everyone’s trigger is different, but oftentimes it’s something that moves us to tears.

In the New Testament, we read about Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples but also the one who betrayed Him.

After Jesus was arrested, Peter denied knowing Him, not just once, but three times. It happened just as Jesus said it would: “… while he [Peter] was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:60b-62).

In my hometown, it’s not very likely to hear a rooster crowing. In rural Israel, it might have been a more common occurrence. Apparently, it happens every morning — and maybe even more often than that.

Can you imagine what Peter must have felt every time he heard a rooster crow? His mind must have wandered back to that night when things didn’t go how he said it would. He was the one who said he would be with Jesus until the end! Each morning, when the rooster woke up the sleeping town, was he reminded how deeply he disappointed his Lord?

Yet just days after the resurrection, Jesus had a one-on-one conversation with Peter, instructing him to “Feed My sheep” (John 21:17c, ESV).

God still had plans for Peter. And He still has plans for me and you.

In Acts chapter 2, Peter returns to the scene, except this isn’t the same man who ran away. Instead, he stood boldly and addressed the crowd.

On this particular morning, I wonder if he heard a rooster crow in the distance, suggesting to him that he was the last person in the world who should be proclaiming the gospel. If he did hear it, he didn’t let it stop him. He kept on that day … and the day after that … and for many days to follow.

Whatever our greatest heartaches or regrets, we can turn them over to the One who gives “beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor” (Isaiah 61:3, NIV).

That moment the rooster crowed didn’t define Peter. The moments with Jesus did.

Dear Heavenly Father, I sometimes struggle with mistakes I have made, so I ask You would heal that part of my heart. I am thankful my past is forgiven and my future is secure — You still have plans for me! I want You to be glorified in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
2 Corinthians 12:9, “but He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough — always available — regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.’ Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.” (AMP)

Ephesians 1:18, “I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called — his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.” (NLT)

A Prayer for When the World Makes You Anxious

A Prayer for When the World Makes You AnxiousBy Kelly Balarie

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. (Phil 4:8)

I watch the evening news. And, I'm convinced they should no longer call it evening news, friends, they should call it: The Anxiety Hour. Do you watch it too? Do you feel it crawl all over you?

You see the tears. You see the evil. You see the injustice. You see the pain. You see the prognosis. You see no answers. You feel helpless.

If you could do something to change anything, you would. But, you feel small, unable. You assure yourself, even your loudest call would ring hallow and uncared for, in this echo-chamber called the world.

There is an undercurrent of fear. The tensions under the surface of forced calmness are like riptides. They are rising. We all see them. We want to turn away. Pretend. Run. Hide. Shiver. Shake.

Yet, is this what Jesus called us to? Self-preservation and dread? Worry and anxiety?

Might we consider: The news is not evil, but how our heart distrusts God easily could be?

If we fill our mind with the grim, we can hardly keep our mind set on Him. We can't see if we are blinded by the anger that boils over in our heart. We get distracted and what emerges doesn't look like love. It doesn't look like Jesus.

And what hits me is this: Jesus never called us to hone in on what's wrong with everything, he called us to remember God is in control - of everything. This is peace.

Dear God, I am prone to worry. I let the happenings of the world, the elections and the economy sit heavy on me. I need to find your peace. I invite you to restructure my thinking. May my hope be you. May my peace be you. May you help love flow out from me. Give me clarity. May I change what I am able to change and release what I can't. May I know that the greatest joy is staying where you are. God, thank you that you have the whole world in your hands. I need not fear because you are the best manager, orchestrator and caretaker. You made it all. I believe in your plan. Amen.

Jesus Wept (But Do You Know Why?)

Jesus Wept (But Do You Know Why?)By Jon Bloom

Jesus wept. - John 11:35

The shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35: “Jesus wept.” But for all its grammatical simplicity, it’s packed with unfathomable complexity. Jesus wept after speaking with Lazarus’ grieving sisters, Martha and Mary, and seeing all the mourners. That seems natural enough. Most of us would have wept too. Except that Jesus had come to Bethany to raise Lazarus from the dead. So one would think that Jesus would be a confident, joyful calm in that storm of sorrow. But he was “greatly troubled” (John 11:33) and he wept. Why? Here are four possible reasons why Jesus was weeping and troubled.

1. Jesus wept out of compassion

One reason is simply the deep compassion that Jesus felt for those who were suffering. It is true that by not speaking healing from a distance or by his delay in coming (John 11:6) he had let Lazarus die. Even though Jesus always chooses what will ultimately bring his Father the most glory (John 11:4)—and sometimes, as in this case, it requires affliction and grief—he does not take delight in the affliction and grief itself. No, Jesus is sympathetic (Hebrews 4:15) and we get a glimpse of how the Father feels over the affliction and grief his children experience.

2. Jesus wept over the wages of sin

Another reason Jesus wept was over the calamity of sin. As God the Son who had come into the world to destroy the devil’s works (1 John 3:8), Jesus was about to deliver death its deathblow (1 Corinthians 15:26). But sin grieves God deeply and so do the wages of sin: death (Romans 6:23). And ever since the fall of Adam and Eve he had endured sin’s horrific destruction. Death had taken Lazarus, and it would take him again before it was all over. Tears of anger and longing were mixed with Jesus’ tears of grief.

3. Jesus wept because he knew the sacrifice

A third reason for weeping was the cost that he was about to pay to purchase not only Lazarus’ short-term resurrection but his everlasting life. The cross was just days away and no one really knew the inner distress (Luke 12:50) Jesus was experiencing. Jesus, who had never known sin, was about to become Lazarus’ sin, and the sin of all who had or would believe in him. He was looking to the joy that was set before him (Hebrews 12:2). But the reality of what lay between was weighing heavily.

4. Jesus wept because he knew the accusations

A fourth possible reason for Jesus’ tears was that he knew that raising Lazarus would actually cause the religious leaders to finally take action to put him to death (John 11:45-53). If Jesus had any struggle that day would not have been whether his Father would answer, but what would result when his Father answered. Giving Lazarus life was sealing Jesus’ own death.

Just these few reasons for Jesus’ weeping at Lazarus’ tomb give us a glimpse into how God views our suffering and death. His reasons for not sparing us these things are righteous and glorious. But in them he is full of compassion (Psalms 103:13), he hates the calamity sin brings, and he himself has suffered more than we ever will ever know in order to pay the full cost of our eternal resurrection.

The Day My Mom Went Crazy

The Day My Mom Went Crazy
John UpChurch

I don’t remember the day of the week—so, let’s say Wednesday. I’d just returned from work and was making the walk from the parking lot to my apartment.

Before I could get to the door, the call came. My cell phone cracked and spluttered as my brother spoke on the other end. His words tumbled into the hundreds of miles between us. But I understood enough. My mother had stopped her meds again; she’d lied about it; and now she didn’t know her youngest son existed. My family wanted me to talk to her to prove I was, in fact, real. The idea sickened me, but I didn’t have time to object before the phone went to her. Really, it took that long for me to recover.

They didn’t tell her who I was, just that someone wanted to talk to her. My mind whirled around a prayer—a very inadequate bottle rocket—as I waited through the rustling and murmurs and silence. Mostly, I just hoped she wouldn’t take the phone.

She did.

If you’ve never been told you don’t exist, it’s not something I recommend. You hurt for the person who doesn’t want to remember, and you hurt for the lost connection. But that’s what happened when I said hello and told her who I was. She screamed into the phone that I had died as a baby, that I didn’t really exist, that I was lying to her. The whole moment will never really fade away.

When I visited my mom later in the hospital, a shell sat across the table from me. Her eyes dulled under the fluorescence. There was no recognition, no love in the hazel. She only resembled the woman who’d once wept when I moved out.

Loving her then gave me the smallest glimpse of what it was like for God to love me—even when I ran away, even when I denied He existed. I couldn’t see back then. My eyes couldn’t recognize His goodness because I convinced myself that the lies of this world are more satisfying. I denied Him and raged against Him in turn. I hated that He loved me.

Slowly, over months, my mother began to remember. She got back the names and faces that had vanished from her mind. She saw us again.

And how slow my own journey has been. First, I came face to face with a very real Maker of the universe. Then, I fell down before His ridiculous love for me. Since then, I’ve been slowly regaining my sight, seeing the world through His eyes. I once blinded myself, but now I’ve been granted new eyes. I couldn’t see until God’s preceding grace tore away the haze, and, suddenly, I remembered what love is.

Intersecting Faith and Life: My mom’s lapse opened the cosmic door just a crack—at least, I like to think so. The whole situation hit me with the truth of what John 3:16 really means. God longs for us to recognize His love. But we have selective amnesia; we forget the one who created us.

Even that doesn’t stop Him, though. He pursues us in Christ Jesus, who went through the pain of being rejected to heal our forgetful hearts. Nothing could stop him from that.

Further Reading

John 3:1
Romans 3:1