Aches and Praise Five Hundred & Twenty Six

Posted on 2021-10-08 in English |

October 8, 2021
 
 

Dear friends,

                                                                                                                                                                       
On Tuesday night, our Bible study group looked at the account of the death of Lazarus in John 11. After Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother was sick, they waited for Him to come to their home. At the end of the tenth chapter of the gospel of John, we read that “He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first … and many believed in Him there” (verses 40-42). Jesus was probably not that far from Bethany, where Lazarus and his sisters were. The apostle John recorded what Jesus said after learning that Lazarus was sick: “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). Instead of starting on his journey to Bethany right away, the Lord Jesus stayed where He was for a couple of days (v. 6).
 

In his Study Bible, Dr. David Jeremiah writes: “Why would Jesus not rush to Bethany? Jesus’ plan made no sense by human standards, but His friends would have to trust Him – for the timing and the outcome. Sometimes God asks His followers to walk by a different light source than that of their limited human judgment.”  Have you experienced a trial or sickness and prayed to the Lord for relief and then wondered when He would help you? As the “Thought for the weekend” below expresses, God is with His children, even when we wonder why we are going through tough times. As Martha and Mary learned, Jesus could care for their brother, even after he had been in the tomb four days. After Jesus wept with them, He said, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (verses 35 and 40).

In the current issue of the “Turning Points” magazine, Dr. Jeremiah examines the hope that we find in Bible prophecy: “Biblical hope is sure, certain, and inexorable – promised by the decrees of God, guaranteed by the resurrection of Christ, and confirmed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.” He goes on to describe this hope as follows:

H = Holy                                                                                                                               

O = Omnipotence                                                                                                            

P = Preeminent                                                                                                                     

E = Eternal

To read the article, please visit: https://www.davidjeremiah.org/magazine/article/the-hope-we-find-in-bible-prophecy-263. When we look at the troubles all around us, we should remember, as Dr. Jeremiah writes: “Our hope is anchored by our Lord’s holiness and secured by His omnipotence. It’s as high as His preeminence and as long as His eternity.”

Scripture for the weekend: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’” John 11:25-26 (NKJV)

Thought for the weekend: “Going through trials doesn’t mean I am outside of God’s will, but rather that He is with me, guiding me though them.”  – Aline Mello

 

By His grace,
 

Steve

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