"Life Everlasting!" - 2

 "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believeth thou this?" (John 11:26 KJV)

  "O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings!" (Psalm 61:1-4 NLT)

 Looking at this question, "Believeth thou this?", it is really not a question about the actual truth to the never die part of that statement, because in reality, knowing what we know about His resurrection from the grave, it is pretty obvious that He defeated death! No, this is about the simplicity of believing in Jesus for having given us, meaning you and I, that eternal life freely! 

 Let me try to explain what I mean, because this really gets twisted and overlooked, pretty much in most everyone's life, at certain times of their lives. There are two very important factors that cause us to have doubts about this salvation we have been given, having a sinful nature is one of them; the other is the doubt! 

 Are those two connected? Maybe, sometimes that is the case; but not always, because doubt can be brought on by so many different factors, and sometimes, just by imaginations and fear; something that is part of just being human. Really something that is hard to avoid, even for the greatest of God's saints! 

 Truth be told, we live in two worlds at once; one is simply surviving here on earth, and the other in the power of God's Spirit, which overcomes the weakness and frailty of this flesh, if and when we are walking in the Spirit. God's Spirit is in us, those that have believed upon the saving grace of Christ, so there is no denying that He is there and that He is our helper; but we deny ourselves worthy of the supernatural power that the Helper provides! 

 These things are hard to talk about, because they are only realized by living them out; and even then, they are not things that you continually live in, because we never as strong as we think we are, and sooner or later we fall or stumble. But it is never about us! It is about what Christ Jesus has done for us; what He is doing for us now; and what He will do for us, when the doing is done...

"So Christ has truly set you free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery of the law. Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. I'll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from grace. But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love." (Galatians 5:1-6 NLT)  

"Life Everlasting!"

 "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" (John 11:26 KJV)

  "I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life." (1 John 5:13 NLT)

 Having been in a few storms, (could be in one now,) I know what it is like to feel as though everything is slipping away; the more you try to hold onto anything, the more it seems impossible to grip or hold, as it is really not mine to begin with. As a matter of fact, pretty much the only thing we can claim as our own, is our own sins. 

 They say, "You brought nothing into this world, and you will take nothing with you when you leave." Well, to be perfectly truthful, 'You were born in sin, and you might take those sins with you when you leave!' You don't have to, but you might; unless you confess them, and lay them at the cross! 

 I have heard some preachers try to say, 'You don't automatically receive eternal life when you first come to Jesus, you only receive forgiveness of your sins; the eternal life is manifested in you when you are baptized.' I do not accept that, no matter who might try to say it, or how famous they might be; it is not so! 

 When we are washed from our sins, we automatically have our names written in the Lamb's Book of Life! Baptism is only an outward expression of an inward work that has already been done; much like it is to confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, we are accepting and displaying what has been done in us, already! 

 You can mess up your life in so many ways, maybe even to the point where you feel as though there is no way to come back to God; but that's not how this works! We are not judged by our sins, if we no longer have any sins! And, as long as we have no more sins, we are a child of God! And as long as we are a child of God, then we are guaranteed to have eternal life! 

 Welcome to God's Kingdom, now stop waiting for His Kingdom, and start living as a citizen of it...

"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God's children if we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and commandments are not burdensome. For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God." (1 John 5:1-5 NLT) 

"This Is Now!"

 "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:" (John 11:25 KJV) 

  "He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we stop evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:15-17 NLT)

 So that was fun, and seemingly what I expected! However it is that it looks, God is always several steps ahead of the devil, so there is always something that gets automatically corrected, just because it is going to fall into place. Someone digs a hole, but God has the remedy already waiting to fill that hole up! 

 Forty-one years or so ago, I was dead! I might not have realized that I was dead, because I lived and breathed the air in this world; but spiritually, I was 100% dead! Even though I had a soul, that soul was living within me, looking towards death, the kind of death that keeps on dying, forever and ever! 

 Not quite sure if we get the magnitude of what that represents, because it is so hard to imagine what it looks like. Though it might not seem real, having been set free from that death, I can tell you with great peace and joy, it is no longer a threat! 

 If you don't know what that means, it means that I now have life! Not just a life that is to come, but this new if is now! Right now, we can experience the eternal life, because we have it already, and there is no way anyone can take it away or try and disrupt it! Absolutely none!  

 Still not sure if we truly get the magnitude of what that means, because we cannot see it; but we sure can live in It, and It in us, by faith in Christ...

"So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. "For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away." But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved." (Hebrews 10:35-39 NLT)  

"Just a Little Bit"

 "Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." (John 11:24 KJV)

  "How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was tuned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection." (Hebrews 11:12-35 NLT)

 There is only a hand full of times in this life when most people get a chance to shine; some are like shooting stars, and only get one chance to dazzle. Regardless of what you might think of your place in this world, you never know what you are capable of, until you are living out what God has called you to do!

 This little portion of Scripture is something that some might not pay too much attention to, mostly because this conversation is about two totally different events. Jesus is speaking of the here and now, while Martha, she is going from the past, to the present, and then skips to the future. But, if you really stop and think about it, isn't that how our minds usually operate? 

 You have probably heard it said that we only use about a tenth of our brains; but have you ever wondered why that that might be? Because, I think it might be because only a tenth of our brains are focused on the here and now! If we could focus upon that which is at hand, not being distracted by the things that do not matter, what amazing things we could do, with just a little bit of focus. 

 Pastor Bryan repeated something important, probably at least three times, on two different teaching, both Wednesday night's teaching and Sunday's teaching, regarding Mark 10:32. This is the point where Jesus was on His way up to Jerusalem, heading towards that special event, the reason He came to earth for, and what it was He was meant to do! 

 Mark illustrates the determination in His stride, as He walked past them and before them as if He was a man on a mission, walking as though and with determination, to take on the most important thing of His life. Mark said, "and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid." 

 Something I had learned from the time of the lockdowns, social distancing, and mask mandates, that there are very few people who are willing to not do what they are told, even if it seems odd. Let alone the weird, forced vaccinations, that are seemingly still being pushed on people, even though they don't really work! They are by far, the most sinister thing about this whole ordeal, as the side-effects have not even been totally known or revealed. 

 I watched President Trump's rally in Florida the other night, and I could see the determination in his face as he tried to stay focused upon the message, while being drenched by rain. He kept repeating, "This might be the best rally ever!" It was amazing to watch; and I was amazed and afraid! 

 I'm sorry if that might offend you, but I actually do care about this Country we live in, as I know that there are people elsewhere that feel the same. I care about heaven more, but this is where we are now, and I truly believe the God is still working, and He is still making His righteousness known, to all who will listen! 

 Sometimes you need a little bit of darkness in order to see the Light... 

"They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear. Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus once more began to describe everything that was about to happen to him. "Listen," he said, "we're going to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again."" (Mark 10:32-34 NLT) 

"Let It Be Known"

 "Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again." (11:23 KJV)

  "Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth! Serve the LORD with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. Submit to God's royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities - for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him!" (Psalm 2:10-12 NLT)

 Looking out to space, I can only imagine what God might have been thinking when He made that incredible vastness. There are more and more people that are certain there are others out there; mostly because the vastness goes on and on, there just must be more than just this little blue dot; otherwise, that's a huge amount of wasted space! 

 Tomorrow is a pretty important day, whether you care about it or not, your life will be influenced by it, in one way or another. Really, it doesn't matter where you live on this rock, what happens tomorrow is going to be important and meaningful to this entire planet. But, whatever happens, "God's will be done," needs to be the voice of the church! 

 Interesting enough, there is going to be a blood moon tomorrow, if that makes and difference to anyone that might be paying attention. I believe that God is wanting His people to make up their minds on who or what they are going to worship! Paul tells us in Romans, we become what we worship, which, if you really stop and think about what that implies, worshipping those things which are of this world, makes us become worldly! 

 You do know, Lazarus would only be raised up to die again, right? I was thinking about something yesterday, God's promise that we would enter His rest. As I thought about it, it dawned on me that His rest might actually mean something that is outside of this present world. 

 It doesn't matter who you are, how much money you might have, or how healthy you are, as long as you are here on this spinning rock, you really do not rest...

"But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless - like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. So I decided to compare wisdom with foolishness and madness (for who can do this better than I, the king?). I thought, "Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. For the wise can see where they are going, but fools walk in the dark." Yet I saw that the wise and the foolish share the same fate. Both will die. So I said to myself, "Since I will end up the same as the fool, what's the value of all my wisdom? This is all so meaningless!" For the wise and the foolish both die. The wise will not be remembered any longer than the fool. In the days to come, both will be forgotten. So I came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless - like chasing the wind." (Ecclesiastes 2:11-17 NLT) 

"Hold That Thought!"

 "But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." (John 11:22 KJV)

  "Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? Thing kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one. "Let us break their chains," they cry, "and free ourselves from slavery to God." But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The LORD scoffs at them, terrifying them with his fierce fury. For the LORD declares, "I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain." The king proclaims the LORD'S decree: "The LORD said to me, 'You are my son. Today I have become your Father. Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession. You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.'"" (Psalms 2:1-9 NLT)

 Oddly enough, this is a familiar and heart-felt thing I remember so intently; to realize that what I prayed for to happen, will most likely not happen, but nonetheless, God will make somethings else happen, as I prepare my heart for whatever it is that God is going to do! Not sure what was on her mind, but within her heart, she was still trusting the God would do whatever Jesus asked of Him. 

 As we shall see, bringing Lazarus back to life was not the thing that she thought about, when she said, "whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." Isn't that how we approach God when we are out of options, and we feel that all is lost? We really don't know what we should ask for, because there seems to be no solution to fix whatever it is that has happened. 

 Basically, we just throw up our hands and surrender! Maybe she thought, since he is gone and won't come back, maybe Jesus can ask that she go to visit him? I can see that happening, as it would be my thought, if suddenly my wife should be taken from me. I long for the day that I can see her whole again, and I have pretty much settled on heaven being that day! 

 Anywho; this is by far the most important point that Martha has made, because it is pretty clear that she believes in Jesus with all her heart, and she knows in her heart that He has connections with God! This is something I feel is overlooked in many areas within the church, that the Holy Scriptures really do have a connection with God! 

 I have heard the Bible called, "The Good Book," which is good, but it has so much more within the pages, within the written word, that makes us fall in love with the God who loves us! It is His Book, written through men of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and filled to the brim with Jesus Christ! I doubt that you can find a single page in the Bible that does not have at least one reference to Christ or the power of His salvation.

 This is 100% all about Christ Jesus and His identity and power, every bit! As I have mentioned before, John starts this Gospel message with eighteen verses that are showing us who he is writing about and why His coming was so spectacular and profound; because, as per Revelation 1:8, He is, was, and is still to come; He always will be God...

"Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven." (Hebrews 1:1-3 NLT) 

"If Only You Had" - Too

 "Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." (John 11:21 KJV)

  ""Don't store up treasures here on this earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."" (Matthew 6:19-21 NLT)

 Most of the time, as I feel like there are issues with finances, business, or just about anything else that I feel somewhat dependent on for living, my first reaction is to blame the issue on something that the world is doing, as if the forces around me have caused something to go wrong. It is not my intention to try and fix anything on my own, but it is usually my first reaction to life's routine issues.

 I have heard it said, 'If it is something that man can do on his own, then God will not do it.' As I get older, having seen the situations and circumstances turn, amazingly different than I expected, I have come to the realization that this is somewhat a team effort. Not that we can do something out of the ordinary or make things happen, but we can and must be extraordinarily focused on God's will and purposes, because He does everything for His glory! 

 Taking this back to the start: I am a servant of the LORD; servants don't question God's intentions, but they do look for what He is intending to do! Not that we absolutely know, because we seldom do. But, in most cases, God will let us know what we are to do, as we need to do it; and then what happens after that, is totally up to Him. 

 Martha might have forgotten, Jesus didn't really need to have been there to heal her brother; He could have healed him from anywhere that He was, with just a word! We always assume God needs to do something a certain way, as if He operates as we do; or as if we see it happening like this, but God is going to do something totally different than we expected He could have done.

 Here it is, the thing we fail to understand, time and time again! God does not make mistakes, He is for you, He watches over you, and whatever you are going through, everything happens for His good purpose! Trust God and hold on tight...

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for what he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)  

  

"If Only You Had"

 "Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." (John 11:21 KJV)

  "They even spoke against God himself, saying, "God can't give us food in the wilderness. Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out, but he can't give his people bread and meat."" (Psalm 78:19-20 NLT)

 This is one of those verses that causes us to ponder those things we might have done or not done, as to, 'If only it happened this way, then things would be better.' Maybe it is me, because I have a multitude of things I which I would have done differently, and a mountain of garbage I wish I never had done. Be that as it may, God is more than able to make something out of anything, or out of nothing at all!

 Talking about this verse, it should move us to look at those things we might have asked God to do, and then what He does, seems as if it was pretty much opposite of what we expected. You know what I mean; you ask God to give you peace, and then your life gets turned upside-down! You ask Him to strengthen your faith, and your doubt becomes so intense, you feel as though you should just stop believing, all together.  

 Take a close look at these two verses from Psalm 78, because there is a major difference between that which God does and what we expect that He should do! We can realize how this works by those two times Jesus fed thousands of people, by the few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. 

 Basically, there are things which are meant to satisfy what we need, and then there are those things which we want, that might take away from what we actually need. God will always provide for us that which we need! Those things we might want, may not be in line with what we actually need; but, if we press Him hard enough, we might end up with that which we want; but then, that which we need will be change into something we do not want. 

 Don't let that cause you any confusion, because it isn't really that hard to understand. The main thing that I want to talk about, is that God can and will take anything you might do, whatever it is and how far off the mark it might become, and He can get you right back where you belong, which is right next to Him! 

 The bottom line in this, or any situation or circumstance, is that where you might be, no matter how bad it might be, is the place where you might belong, because God is doing something with you that requires you to be broken, undone, messed up, or giving up...

"Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me - now let me rejoice. Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you." (Psalm 51:7-13 NLT)  

"To Be or Not to Be"

 "Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house." (John 11:20 KJV)

  "For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better." (Philippians 1:20-22 NLT)

 Talk about something that seems rather strange, the current situations going on in the election results of Brazil, they might just be a test of upcoming situations here next week. But will anyone be allowed to talk about it? I guess we will know when it happens. 

 This is the thing I believe John is pointing out, as Martha, who is the type of person that does, making it a practice to always be busy doing this or that, has left the mourning party at the house, to meet the Lord as He was outside the city. She couldn't wait for Him to come to her, she had to be first to get to Him. 

 Mary, on the other hand, stayed where she was, taking in the current matter that was happening, not wanting to disrupt what was, to most people, a moment of respect and reverence for her brother. Which was pretty much her attitude when Jesus was in her home, she sat at His feet, giving all of her attention to Him, while Martha stayed busy entertaining and caring for all of the guest. 

 If you want to know my opinion, they are both in the right! There are those that pray and focus upon the spiritual aspects of ministry, and those that get things done, making things happen in the natural life of keeping the place for ministry to happen. There has to be both, those that do and make things happen, and those pray to keep things in order. 

 By the way, we need to pray! If you really care about anything happening around you, then it is your duty and obligation to pray for the situations and circumstances, that God's will be done, no matter what might happen! I know, there are some that say, 'How can we know what to pray?' Well, if you go to the Psalms, I think looking at several of them for clues, you will see that praying for justice, mercy, and all that is right, those are the things that we pray for; all that is wicked, ungodly, and wrong, those are the things that we pray against. 

 It really isn't that difficult to understand; it just takes a little of your time to understand why you must do it...

"For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it. Is there and encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose." (Philippians 1:29 - 2:2 NLT)  

"A Little Wake"

 "And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother." (John 11:19 KJV)

  "Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies - so the living should take this to heart." (Ecclesiastes 7:2 NLT)

 Any time I think about this, I tend to think about my wish for my funeral service, which my wife and I would joke about, from time to time. My wife never really wanted me to buy a motorcycle, even though I had my sights set upon a Fat Boy for about four years or so. One day I came into my office, and there was a miniature Fat Boy on my desk, almost identical to the one I wanted. 

 As for my wish, since I couldn't have one while I was alive, I wanted to be placed on one at my funeral. The way my dream went, I would be on the bike behind a curtain, and after everyone had been seated, the curtain would roll back, and there I would be, proudly sitting on the bike of my dreams. 

 Anywho; this is really not something we should make fun of, because death is something serious and is a major disturbance in many people's lives. You think everything is fine, and then someone dies! All of the sudden you feel as though the air has been sucked out of your life. 

 Isn't it strange, how you don't even really care so much about someone, whether that is a brother-in-law or cousin, or even a friend of a friend, and when they die, you feel as though there is a hole in part of your life. It's almost as if there was something you missed out on, and now you will never have that chance again. 

 Not sure if anyone is paying attention, but there are chances all around us to spread hope! That is the most important thing about saying goodbye to someone that has passed, the hope that one day you will see them again! So, make sure you do everything you can to make it happen!

 I know it isn't up to us, but, then again, it is! You have something inside of you, and you somehow need to make them aware why it is there. Sometimes it is you! You're the one they want to listen to, because they see the hope within you; so, tell them why you have hope...

"Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it." (1 Peter 3:13-15 NLT) 

 

"Just So You Know"

 "Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:" (John 11:18 KJV)

   "That same day two of Jesus' followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. But God kept them from recognizing him. He asked them, "What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?" They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, "You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn't heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days." "What things?" Jesus asked." "The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth," they said. "He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people."" (Luke 24:13-19 NLT)

 It is interesting that John would mention this, because, basically, Bethany was close enough to the city of Jerusalem, that it could be considered as part of the city. It's like the towns I grew up in, none were in the actual city of Los Angeles, but if someone asked me where I grew up, it is easy for me to say that I grew up in East Los Angeles; instead of saying Bellflower, Downey, or Paramount. 

 The reason this is important is because the greatest miracles that Jesus did were in Jerusalem, or in those connecting little towns. This is where the greatest miracle of all was to happen, the place where Jesus would be taking on the sins of the entire world! 

 The place where I was actually saved was in the center of Los Angeles, oddly enough. It is also very close to one of the first places that I spent time in custody as a child, which was pretty much a stone-throw away from where the 5 FWY and 10 FWY connect. Any time I drive through that area, I can remember that place, as I look to the south, and remember looking out the window, down to the Freeway and seeing the tall buildings of L.A., through the smog. 

 I can also remember that is a place where I prayed to God, really prayed, asking for Him to help me to change my life. I think I was only about 12 or so, and it was the first time I had actually been a week or more in custody; so, it really was a somewhat traumatic time, for the first couple of days. After I made a few friends, the time didn't seem to matter so much, and I forgot about the prayer I had made to God. 

 Guess what! God did not forget! Less that 10 years later, there I was, in L.A. again; the place, where the most important thing that ever happened, happened...

""I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things. "Open up, O heavens, and pour out your righteousness. Let the earth open wide so salvation and righteousness can sprout up together. I, the LORD, created them. "What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does the clay dispute with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, 'Stop, you're doing it wrong!' Does the pot exclaim, 'How clumsy can you be?' How terrible it would be if a newborn baby said to its father, 'Why was I born?' or if it said to its mother, 'Why did you make me this way?'" This is what the LORD says - the Holy One of Israel and your Creator: "Do you question what I do for my children? Do you give me orders about the work of my hands? I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my commend."" (Isaiah 45:7-12 NLT)     

"Negate Any Doubts"

"Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already." (John 11:17 KJV)

  ""Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence. Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him, He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of the rains in early spring."" (Hosea 6:1-3 NLT)

 There was a reason Jesus waited, as it was to remove any doubt that Lazarus had been dead; after 3 days, the body begins to decay. Besides that, some Jews believe that the soul lingers around for 3 days, waiting for a chance to reenter the body. Four days or more, and it is pretty much settled, he was dead! 

 If you have anything within you that might be causing you doubt, you should do whatever you can to be done with that matter, once and for all! Don't let it keep festering up inside of you; don't let it keep showing up inside of you mind, robbing you of the boldness you should have to share the Good News about the eternal life available through Christ! 

 On a little different note, I knew what to expect from the message Pastor Bryan was going to share, as I know he knows what I believe about Mark, because I told him what I believed during a round of golf. It really doesn't matter, we can agree to disagree, because it really isn't a salvation matter; it's just mostly interesting to discover things you might not otherwise know. 

 That said, I see now why it is hidden, because the impact of the message is more vital with the Young Rich Ruler walking away, never to consider changing his life again. It really makes the current chance to change your mind, the most important time to change your mind. He could have walked away and been eaten by a wild beast of struck by lightning; or worse, he could have hardened heart and ruined the lives of other noble men; as if they were not ruined already. 

 The little twist at the end was more important than the whole rest of the story! That thing about the reason we doubt in the first place! Those missing things, or things that get missed! "Wait a minute! I gave my life to you, Lord; why do I still have these sinful desires?" 

 We must know, without a single little speck of doubt, that we belong to Jesus; He bought and paid for every sin, those past, those present, and those to come! We will struggle with temptations and sin as long as we are living in these mortal bodies, so we need to stop letting that make us to doubt! 

 Stop focusing on the sin, and start focusing on the victory we have in Christ...

"Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I and a slave to sin. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death." (Romans 7:24 - 8:2 NLT) 

"Life and Death"

 "When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in the grave for four days. Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed at the house. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask." 

 Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again." 

 "Yes," Martha said, "he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day." 

 Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?" 

 "Yes, Lord," she told him. "I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God." Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, "The Teacher is here and wants to see you." So Mary immediately went to him.

 Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus's grave to weep. So they followed her there. When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died."" (John 11:17-32 NLT) 

 Maybe we should take a little time and think about what is most important, both now in this life, and in the face of death. Oddly enough, those of us that are alive in Christ, do not need to face death, at least not in the way that the world facing it.

 There is something more than just this life; as long as you believe that, it will be a reality to you, and you will not fear death as much as those that don't believe. If you believe in eternal life, then you will take a little more time to think about what happens when you die, making choices that will be directed towards eternity; if you truly believe in eternal life! 

 Make some serious changes in your life, if you are worried about what happens in this life, because this life is temporary and will soon be gone; there is absolutely nothing that you can do to change the fact that you cannot hold onto anything in this life! Set your sight on that which produces treasure in heaven, where nothing, absolutely nothing, can touch it, take it away, or cause it to be lost!

 Remember how much God loves you, what He has done to show how much He loves you, and let that be what causes you to fear Him...

"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembrreth that we are dust. As for mam, his days are as grass; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them." (Psalms 103:8-18 KJV) 

"No Matter What!"

 "Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him." (John 11:16 KJV)

  "But - "When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we have done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life." This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial to everyone." (Titus 3:4-8 NLT) 

 Yes, this is that Thomas, who is known as Doubting Thomas, the one that doubted Jesus was risen, but became an overcomer of his doubt! At first reading this, so many years ago, I associated it with words that were sarcastic, as if Thomas was making a comment based upon the conversation in verse 8, when they spoke of going back to Judea. 

 Whether or not, this is most likely something to do with Thomas caring dearly for his friend, Lazarus; if he really cared for Lazarus as a dear friend, he may have been ready to die, making it possible to see his friend again. 

 By the way, I heard part of a message from Dr. Chuck yesterday, as he was sharing about crowns being given to those in heaven, and those that don't get crowns. Interesting topic, if you are concerned about whether or not you are worthy of heaven! None of us are worthy of heaven on our own! It is Christ that makes us worthy to be in heaven; the crowns are based upon works that are fireproof. 

 What makes anyone an overcomer? Is it that which we do to prove we are good? Or is it the fact that we believe Jesus paid it all, and no matter what, faith is enough? What exactly will we be judged upon, things we do that are bad, or the things we do that are good? 

 If you want my opinion, if there are no more sins in our basket, what is that we have to be judged upon, other than the good...

"So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There is no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But is you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you." (James 2:12-13 NLT) 

"The Cardinal Matter"

"And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him." (John 11:15 KJV) 

  "When I think of this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:14-19 NLT)

 There are certain things in this life that can really knock us off our 'high horse' and give us a dose of pure humility, causing us to take notice of just how weak and frail we really are. Hopefully, when that might happen, we don't blame God for knocking us off that, 'high horse,' but we blame ourselves for climbing up on it! 

 I know it might not seem relevant to this situation, because this involves proving a point; the point being, God is awesomely powerful! How else can we understand this, if we can't understand how much we need Him? Did you see that big bright ball of fire in the sky, that thing we call the sun? My mom would always say, "Don't stare at the sun, because it will blind you!" 

 It is not that it doesn't just suck us right into its powerful flames, because so far it hasn't; but because God holds us at a distance away from it, that is why we are safe and secure! We really don't realize just how blessed we are to be protected by such a loving God! 

 Here is the thing, whether you know it or not, we cannot save ourselves! Through countless times, man has tried to figure out ways to be safe, to live longer, to survive through catastrophic storms; you name it, and someone with a fear of it, has tried to make something happen. No matter how we try, there is nothing we can do to prevent death from happening.

 So, I am happy to say, God made a way...

"Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:18-21 NLT)  

"Plain and Simple"

 "Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead." (John 11:14 KJV)

  "When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law break. Still, everyone died - from the time of Adam to the time of Moses - even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam's sin and God's gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God's gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man's sin. For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but God's free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:12-18 NLT)

 Some people ask, "Why, if God is so loving, does He allow so much death and destruction in the world?" It is a common question asked, as soon as you mention how much God loves them; it is almost textbook, as if it were something they heard once, and then burned it into their minds. 

 I have heard this explained, as I think I have shared on it before, but it deserves to be repeated. God loves us so much, and it breaks His heart to see what happens from what sin has caused; but, even in the hurt of seeing us suffer, He loves to see the joy and love that we can experience, despite the ugliness and the sadness.

 There are some people that say, "I don't want to have any children, because I don't want see them get hurt in this world." Well, it is going to happen, people get hurt and get killed every day. But does that mean you won't love a child if you have one? Absolutely not! You will love that child and hope and pray for the very best life for them! 

 Sadly, we cannot see what will happen in their life; how many times they will get hurt, whether or not they might get killed or die before they can even get married. But does that stop us from having a child or planning on a family? The good things in life far outweigh the bad!

 God sees the hurt; but more importantly, He sees the glorious time we will all spend together with Him in eternity...

"For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days. Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God." (1 Peter 1:18-23 NLT) 

"Just a Slight Mistake"

 "Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep." (John 11:13 KJV) 

  "There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking." (Proverbs 29:20 NLT)

 It is really just a slight misunderstanding, as John explains it, at least 30 years after the fact. Things can seem a little fuzzy when you look back at them, the motives might seem less personal, the sequence of events might seem out of place, but the outcome will almost certainly be the same! 

 I am pretty sure that is why John gives this account the way he does; mostly because I am pretty sure he was the closest to Jesus, making him the one that was most likely the spokesman and go-to guy for all of their complaints and questions. But that's just my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt, please. 

 By the way, this is not uncommon, as it is the way we will usually examine things, by looking first for the worldly point of view, not the spiritual or wonderworking side of things. You name it, and it is pretty much that type of thing we do. Whether it is something good or something bad, we tend to forget that there is always something unseen attached to it, that we fail to see. 

 A good example of that, would be a famous sin of David's, which was the sin he committed from his bedroom with Bathsheba. Had he looked at the spiritual side, as he did when he heard Goliath spouting out cursing's about his God, he would have noticed the trap he was about to get caught in. 

 Just so happens I heard a really good message about this, basically the same principle, yesterday. The message was about when David was going to pursue Nabal for sending his men away empty. He really did not see the big deal of what he was about to do, as he was anointed to be king, and a man of God, wasting his time on killing a fool.

 But Abigail, the wife of Nabal, became the spiritual eyes for David to see through, causing him to say to her, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: and blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which has kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand." (1 Samuel 25:32-33) 

 We can pretend that we are alone in this, but we are never alone, ever...  

"Humble yourself therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he might exalt you in due time: casting all your cares on him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour; whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." (1 Peter 5:6-9 KJV) 

"Not Sure About What?"

 "Then said his disciples, Lord, is he sleep, he shall do well." (John 11:12 KJV)

  "Hear my prayer, O LORD! Listen to my cries for help! Don't ignore my tears. For I am your guest - a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me. Leave me alone so I can smile again before I am gone and exist no more." (Psalm 39:12-13 NLT)

 Quick question: Who are these disciples that John keeps referring to? Are they all speaking as one, or do they all speak through a leader? It is clear that they don't understand what Jesus said, but John makes it a point to express that Jesus made it a point to show what we should do, and then He added, why we should do it! 

 Isn't that the point of what faith is all about? God tells us what we must do, and instead of just doing the why, we focus upon the how! The how is up to God, as it is God's obligation to get things done; we are called to just go, paying attention to the why: Because God said so! 

 Don't you get it by now? (Note to self!) God puts something upon our hearts to do, and the first thing we do, is to try and figure out how it gets done. Are we the least bit surprised by the result? We end up with nothing that seems to make sense, impossible obstacles, and worries about where we end up. 

 In case you might be wondering about David's prayer, or complaint, whichever way you look at it; this is David's way of saying, 'Lord, please love me less!' As our loving Father, God will always watch over us, protect us, provide for our needs; and when we need to be moved or guided in a certain direction, then He will sometimes have to use force! 

 Sometimes we don't know what to think: Is God punishing me, or is He leading me? Is this a test, or is this judgement? The greatest thing about everything is Peace! Don't know how else to say that, but it is the sum of all our fears! Just take the worst thing that can happen, add to that, the best outcome you have through Christ, and you have the sum of that, which is Peace! 

 No matter what, Blessed Assurance is mine...

""Listen, you who are deaf! Look and see, you blind! Who is as blind as my own people, my servant? Who is as deaf as my messenger? Who is as blind as my chosen people, the servant of the LORD? You see and recognize what is right but refuse to act on it. You hear with your ears, but you don't really listen."" (Isaiah 42:18-20 NLT) 

"Mortal Sleep"

 "These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of his sleep." (John 11:11 KJV)

  "The Scriptures tell us, "The first man, Adam, became a living person." But the last Adam - that is, Christ - is a life-giving Spirit. What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man. What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever." (1 Corinthians 15:45-50 NLT)

 I was a little bit off, as I prepared myself for the message yesterday morning at church; I think I was prepared for something a little more encouraging, as if being free from hell isn't encouraging enough. Don't get me wrong, I liked the message, because it reminded me how critical it is to share the Good News; but I was not prepared for that teaching on what hell might be like. 

 That said, the point about, "Without hell, we don't have a choice," made me ponder the difference between the old me and the new me, because the new me is no longer looking forward to hell! I can't even imagine why I ever bragged about going to hell. It might have been the fact that I was raised mostly in the J.W. faith, which does not believe in hell. You really can't fear something that you don't believe is real. 

 It has been said, "Jesus spoke more about hell, then He did about heaven." I seriously haven't ever really counted them up, but I doubt it, even though it has been repeated over and over. If anything, Jesus gave more description on hell being bad, making it something to avoid, while giving heaven the place to long for, which causes us to pay attention more to the dangerous messages.

 Just so you know, Lazarus was in Abraham's bosom; it might not have been the same Lazarus from the message in Luke 16, but nonetheless, his soul was there, while his body was asleep. There is no such thing as, "soul sleep," as many try to detail what happens to your soul when you die. But you can bet there is darkness for those who don't know the Lord! 

 No, there is no such thing as your soul sleeping, but there is a heaven, and if you belong to the Lord, that's where you will go! There is no more Abraham's bosom! Jesus released all those held captive, as they were waiting for Him to set them free, taking them all to heaven! 

 All of their bodies remained, just as our bodies will remain, but our soul will be with the Lord! Come Lord Jesus, come...

"But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies." (1 Corinthians 15:51-53 NLT) 

"Be Encouraged!"

 "But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him." (John 11:10 KJV)

  "Your laws are wonderful. No wonder I obey them! The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand. I pant with expectation, longing for your commands. Come and show me your mercy, as you do for all who love your name. Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil. Ransom me from the oppression of evil people, then I can obey your commandments. Look upon me with love, teach me your decrees. Rivers of tears gush from my eyes because people disobey your instructions." (Psalm 119:129-137 NLT)

 As I was thinking about this title, I was prompted to read Matthew Henry's commentary on this verse, hoping for some inspiration on something positive, because this verse is somewhat negative. Basically, it was the end of the beginning, because this is about what not to do, much like the plow illustration: 'You keep your eyes looking forwards, and you will have straight lines; but if you gaze left to right, your lines will not be straight.'

 Sorry if that seems too simple, but it is simply the truth! Whatever place you might find yourself in, no matter how far off you have strayed or gotten off course, stop what you are doing, and ask God to give you instruction! It might sound too simple, but, once you follow His instructions, no matter how horrible those lines were behind you, in the end, they will be straight! 

 That is how God works! He makes all things new, as if those terrible things had never happened, to be terrible, and the mistakes we make, He turns into His opportunities for redemption for others. If you don't believe me, just check it out for yourself. A great Book to read in the Bible is the Book of Ruth, because it compiles so many generations of mistakes; all of the mistakes that God uses to bless others, repeatedly!

 Make sure to research the characters, seeing where they came from and who they were related to; you will be amazed at the connections, how they are all part of our redemption through Christ! Just to help you in your quest, Ruth is an offspring of one of Lot's unnamed daughters, the firstborn one, while Boaz is the offspring of Rahab the harlot, who hid the two spies in Jericho.   

 It really makes for a very encouraging read, once you realize how many different players there are. No matter how messed up we might be, God can fix anything and make it right...

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of this LORD'S favor has come, and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory." (Isaiah 61:1-3 NLT) 

 

"The Light of Day" - To

 "Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world." (John 11:9 KJV)

  "Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct." (Galatians 6:4-5 NLT) 

 Maybe we might have missed something along the way, having not ask for proper directions? Does that seem familiar to you? Well, it makes this response from Jesus a little more personal and to the point; as we see from verse four, Jesus clearly said, that Lazarus' sickness was for the glory of God, and that He might be glorified.

 There are two ways to perceive the light of day: one is to consider the daylight, as if there are twelve hours of daylight by which we get things done; the other, is to know God is opening a door to something, that requires action, by which you are meant to go forward, in that light of calling, in order to see the light of day. Which basically means, you won't really know what God has planned for you, until you actually step out in faith, making it happen! 

 Jesus clearly knew what was meant to happen; the disciples didn't have a clue! But isn't that the way it is? There are times when I have an idea how things will happen, but I don't know how God is going to make it happen, only that He lets me know what He is going to do. I will share again what I mean, as I think I have shared this before. 

 When my wife was in the hospital, I was told that I needed to put her in a Care Facility; but none of them seemed to be good enough for her, and I decided to take her home. They told me that was not possible, saying that she required 24 hours of care, every day. But I did not give up, and they finally gave in, breaking out the, In Home Care Book. And then we set the ball in motion. 

 My first task was to get us moved closer to the hospital and get my office mover closer too. The office was easy, it fell right into my lap, the house, not so much, because no one would rent to me, because my finances were a mess. After almost three months of hanging out with my wife at the hospital, my business was pretty much a wreck.

 After many disappointments, I finally broke down and begged God to help me find a place. I went into the office and tossed my keys on the desk, telling everyone in the office: 'Okay, this is how it's going to happen: The house God has for us, is not going to require that I fill out a Credit Report, but that I just want to rent it.' 

 Sure enough, within the next couple of days, I found the house. As I was driving through a certain neighborhood, I saw the sign, For Rent. I walked around the house looking into the windows, and it appeared to be adequate for our needs. So, then I drove to the Property Management office to get a key and look inside. 

 As I stood at the desk, giving the girl my $5.00 deposit for the key and filling out the form, the owner of that office stepped into the room, saying, "Rich, do you want to rent that house?" And I said, "Yes, but I just want to look inside and see if everything will fit." She said, "Okay, but you need to hurry, because I have another couple that want it. Bring in your money, and it's yours." 

 That might not be completely what this verse represents, but it falls into the same category. There is really only one way to see God work out things in our lives, and that one way is to act!  You must take a step of faith, no matter what it is that God is telling you or showing you, you will only realize how it all will happen by making a move! 

 I have watched several friends miss so many opportunities, using that phrase, "I am waiting on God," when in reality, God is waiting on you, and it starts with prayer...

"Let all who fear the LORD repeat: "His faithful love endures forever." In my distress I prayed to the LORD, and the LORD answered me and set me free. The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What can people do to me? Yes, the LORD is for me, he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in people." (Psalm 118:4-8 NLT) 

"The Light of Day"

"Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world." (John 11:9 KJV)

  "My child, don't lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not stumble. You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly." (Proverbs 3:21-24 NLT)

 Rather interesting, don't you know? Having been walking with the Lord all of these years, I can say with confidence, if we stay on the path, we will not stumble; but if we lose sight of the path, we will fall! That is just a fact! I can say with confidence, because I have lived in out, over and over, in so many different ways, and in almost every area of my life. 

 That said, it is more about experience than anything else. Everything we get to go through, becomes a lesson that we get to share. Gayle Erwin referred to it as, "digging wells," where you dig a well, that you leave behind, for others to get water from. It's really funny to think about, if it wasn't so serious, but Jacob was known for digging wells; most of which, others claimed as their own.

 If you are familiar with the story, Jacob was named Israel by God, but God still referred to him as Jacob, usually when He was using it as a reference to his lack of common sense or discernment. It was God's way of saying, 'But I still loved Him, anyway!' 

 We can easily lose sight of that fact, as we think upon the foolish things that we have done, as if God doesn't forgive us, mostly because we can't forgive ourselves! How could He still love me? We say, as we think upon the things, we know we hate, knowing that God hates them too! If we only really knew! 

 About God's timing. Did you know, God works everything towards the good? David is a really good example, which God clearly says in Isaiah 55:3-4. David was sandwiched between a whole slew of mishaps, mistakes, deceit, foolishness, and outright wickedness. But each and every one of those, generational failures, became the line to God's glorious salvation! 

 It really doesn't get any better than that... 

"I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD." (Psalm 40:1-3 NLT) 

"On the Other Hand"

 "His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?" (John 11:8 KJV) 

  "I trust in the LORD for protection. So why do you say to me, "Fly like a bird to the mountain for safety! The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right. The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?"" (Psalm 11:1-3 NLT)

 We pretty much know how it all plays out, so why bother trying to fix something that we already know isn't going to be fixed? You might not really care about all this noise, and I tend to agree with that, to a certain degree. But there is still something that we must do, regardless of what might end up happening; we must keep standing for what is right, no matter how wrong everything ends up becoming! 

 That is my take on everything, and I am sticking to it! Other than that, God is still on His Throne, He is still the ultimate Judge, that will judge each and every person, not based upon what goes on around them, but what goes on within their own hearts. If you know what it is that you are meant to do, and you don't do it, then not doing it is sin! (James 4:17) 

 If you know what God is capable of doing, what then prevents you from stepping out? I have heard about several different stories lately, as people that are bold enough to step out, look behind them and realize that no one else is stepping out with them. That doesn't stop them, but it sure makes them feel as if they are on their own! We are never alone! God is always going to be on the side of the righteous! 

 Jesus was going to do something spectacular, as He knew it would be something that would set things in motion. This wasn't just about Lazarus, this was about glorifying God, and showing all that pay attention, He is who He claims to be! Starting with these disciples! 

 I know it might not seem as though it all makes sense, but God's ways and our ways are on a whole different level. We see apposition and likely defeat; God sees opportunity and sure victory, because He alone is God! And guess what that represents...

"What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?" (Romans 8:31 NLT) 

"God's Timing"

"Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again." (John 11:7 KJV)

"He renews my strength. He guides me along the right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me." (Psalm 23:3-4 NLT)

 Before I accepted Christ into my heart, I really didn't have a clue about how God's timing worked, or even whether He was involved in the movement of the things around my life. Wow, what a difference it is to know how much God's hand is upon me, guiding me, nudging me, leading me; He never gives up on me, even though I fail sometimes to allow Him to take control of my life. 

 For those that may not know, God doesn't let His children get too far away from Him. He might allow them to experience ruin or devastation, but He will never abandon them; and you are never too far from being restored, in some form or fashion! It might not be what you were, but it will always be what you want, if you are interested in pleasing Him! 

 Sometimes we need some sort of crisis in our lives to remind us how important it is to have God on our side. If you don't remember, the last time the disciples were with Jesus in Judea, things didn't seem all that safe for them, and they were really not that excited to go back. Matthew Henry points out the fact that Jesus says, "Let us go," because God will never send His children into harm's way without going with them! 

 Oddly enough, timing is everything! Don't ask me how that works, because I don't have a clue; I just know from the Scriptures, God has everything timed to the exact moment! Right when it is meant to happen, it happens; even if it was set in motion thousands of years before, when it is time, it happens! 

 Crazy, yes; but God has a way of turning everything we mess up, all our mistakes, our failures, and even our sins, from something that shouldn't have happen, into something that needed to happen; to make something else happen, in His perfect time...    

""Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will spring up. These events will bring great honor to the LORD'S name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love."" (Isaiah 55:12-13 NLT)

"Enduring Love"

 "When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was." (John 11:6 KJV)

  ""My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."" (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT)

 Regardless of what you might think God is doing, He is always doing more than you think! I think of it as ripples, as when the water is disturbed by anything; you see the water move, but you really don't see all that it moves and how much is actually altered by the movement. 

 Have you ever wondered why bad things happen to good people? Most likely you have; and having done so, have you ever really figured out why? In the case of Hezekiah, one of Judah's good kings, he was sick and was going to die; God even told him he was going to die and gave him opportunity to get his house in order. Something that isn't offered to everyone, good or bad. 

 Had God just allowed him to die without warning, things might have been different for Judah and Jerusalem; the Temple would not have been destroyed, the walls broken down, and a whole slew of things would not have been set in motion. But God knew what He was doing, because He knew everything that needed to happen, both the good and the bad, God used it for His good purposes! 

 Enduring love is something that continues on, regardless of what might take place or how difficult the journey might become, it endues on regardless of any complaints or complications, because it is not based upon something else, it is all about love! The strange thing is, love always says that it will be okay, because it endures through everything that is not okay! 

 Matthew Henery points out that Jesus could have gone there right away, saved him from his sickness, or if he had died just before He got there, simply brought him back to life; no big deal, because He had been doing that everywhere and that was what they imagined He would do. But this one was special! Jesus loved them and was going to allow them to experience something that would never be forgotten!   

 Sometimes we really cannot see all that is going on, because it continues on, long after we are gone...

"Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." (1 Corinthians 13:7 NLT) 

"Loved!"

 "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." (John 11:5 KJV)

  "God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love - not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." (1 John 4:9-10 NLT)

 This little verse has a special message to anyone that might be suffering through anything, especially the things that concern end of life issues, such a cancer and other devastating illnesses. Is it just me, but it seems that once I only knew a couple of people at a time that had cancer, but lately, it seems like a dozen or more, all at once. 

 There is a particular reason that John makes mention of this, especially right before he shares what happens next. First of all, this life is temporary! If we live to be a hundred, we are considered blessed; if we pass away at twenty, we are considered cursed. Personally, I grew up thinking that I wouldn't live past thirty; so being here for sixty plus years, makes me feel as though I have lapped my expected time! 

 That might sound weird, but I am doing my best to do my best; other than that, I'm looking forward to the rest! That is really not a joke. I'm getting tired of watching people die, and I'm pretty sure I am not alone. If you are really looking forward to being with Jesus, you can see why John is making this statement and why it matters that death does not matter! 

 I'm sorry if that seems morbid or totally careless, as if I am being cold-hearted; but I see this thought that John is trying to get across, the temporary suffering that is going to happen, is only for a moment. Secondly, John is thought to have written this Gospel towards the end of his life, near the end of the first Century. He was the last of the disciples to be alive, and he was the first of the disciples to believe Jesus rose from the dead! 

 I know it might not seem all that important, but the right perspective on what matters most, really puts everything in the right perspective...

"For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer." (Isaiah 54:7-8 KJV) 

"For His Glory" - Too

 "When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." (John 11:4 KJV) 

  "Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NLT)

 Just so you know, I have wept bitterly over this, so called trial; but my weeping is between me and the Lord, it not something that I let happen in public; and I try very hard not to breakdown in front of my wife. When that might happen, I can see the concern on her face, as if she is concerned on my behalf; which is something I absolutely do not want to burden her with. Love and joy, is all that I want her to experience from me, that she can know I love her and that I love caring for her.

 I am pretty sure that when Paul says he begged the Lord, that he means that he broke down and wept. I am the kind of person that doesn't really like praying for myself, because I just don't; but when I do, it is usually in desperation and when I feel as though I have been rung out like a wet rag! 

 Don't think that I have any special answer for anything, because it isn't so. Each of us have our own burdens and cross to bear; God gives us the strength we need to get through our own difficulties, what works for me, may not work for you, depending upon your cares, your experiences, and your walk with the Lord. We all have our own individual journey, but we are also one, in the same Body!

 One other thing, and then I will move on to the delay in Jesus' going. Everything in Scripture was written that the Son of God might be glorified thereby! Every good thing, every bad thing, every victory, and every disappointment! It is always about Jesus, from cover to cover, it is the Word of God, from beginning to end...

"In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." (John 1:1-5 NLT)

"For His Glory"

 "When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." (John 11:4 KJV) 

  "I pray that your love will overflow more and more, that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you will live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation - the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ - for this will bring much glory and praise to God." (Philippians 1:9-11 NLT)

 Okay, so this seems easy enough to understand; but what happens to us when it is our turn to be the one that is suffering? Do we remain steadfast and continue looking up? Basically, it remains to be seen! Yes, that is what exactly what it means! If your faith remains, and you are suffering through anything, then that faith of you have hidden in your heart, it gets to come out, for all those who are watching, to be seen! 

 I'm sorry if it hurts, but it only hurts for a little while! You only get so many opportunities to show off your faith; in the suffering, is when people take notice, as they really are looking for something that is real. In this current culture, it is hard to tell the difference between the believers and the non-believers; but, if you squeeze a little bit of the world out of a believer, and the Jesus shows up! 

 Anywho, this is not just your average sickness that Jesus is speaking about, because this is about life! If you have been paying attention, there is something that is unchanging and unstoppable in the Kingdom of God, while here, in this world, it is unprotected and is dying, each and every day! 

 That is the one thing that amazes me about Ecclesiastes, because the writer keeps referring to, "Under the sun," which is the equivalent to saying, 'In this world.' But thanks be to God, we are no longer of this world, because we are under the Son...  

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." (James 1:2-4 NLT) 

"Powerless"

 "Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick." (John 11:3 KJV)

  "When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened. This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. So he complained to the LORD about it: "Didn't I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. Just kill me now LORD! I'd rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen." The LORD replied, "Is it right for you to be angry about this?"" (Jonah 3:10 - 4:4 NLT)

 There are always things that we go through, for whatever reason, that are completely and utterly out of our control. I think if we knew the extent of everything that goes on all around us, we might not want to get out of bed, for fear of being overtaken by the air; as if the air was more powerful than we are! Actually, I think it can be, so we should just leave well enough alone! 

 Take a good look at this verse and imagine if it were you, what would you say, if you know that the Lord could heal your brother, knowing also that He loved your brother? There is nothing wrong with this, prayer is the best thing for everything! We should be quick to pray over everything, but how often do we actually make that our first priority? 

 If you don't know, back in the very beginning of this blog, my message was about God's perfect will verses His permissive will; meaning that God sometimes has an optional plan. It might sound strange, especially if you know that God has everything planned out, way in advance; how then can anything be optional? 

 Listening to, To Every Man an Answer yesterday, I heard a brother call in about sharing with his friends, that happen to be hardcore Calvinist. He kept referring to, 'double predestination,' which is a term that I have never heard of before, but I can only imagine it isn't worth thinking about. Basically, it comes down to the fact that God does not predestine anyone to hell, but He offers salvation to anyone that will receive it; however, He does already know those that will be saved. Those that believe in double predestination believe that those going to hell are already predestined to go there. 

 That might sound rather confusing, as it should! We have no right to even try to figure out that which we have no power over, whatsoever! When the Bible says that God remembers our sins no more, do we try to figure out how it is possible for Him to forget our sins? 

 We are basically powerless to do almost anything, except to make a choice on what to do! However, even then, sometimes our choices don't work out, and God allows us another choice, whether we chose to or not, He doesn't give up! What do you do with that...

 "For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold in Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better." (Philippians 1:20-21 NLT)   

"That Mary"

 "(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiper her feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)" (John 11:2 KJV) 

  ""She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman's deed will be remembered and discussed."" (Matthew 26:12-13 NLT)

 So, last night Pastor Rick shared and taught on Mark 8, explaining how this specific chapter is the turning point in the Book of Mark, as the disciples begin to start being made aware of who Jesus really is, and what He was about to do. Up to this point, Jesus' was ministering for three years, from this point on, this will a fraction of that time, before Jesus ascends up into Heaven. 

 Mary was really one of the few people that really understood what Jesus said, as He explained what would be taking place, how He would be killed, and why it was that He needed to die. At this point of Mark's Gospel, the disciples were still clueless as to what He spoke about, especially the part about Him raising up from the dead! 

 As Rick shared, he shared about the feeding of the five thousand, which were mostly Jews, and then the feeding of the four thousand, which were Gentiles; showing how the remnant bread filled twelve baskets when the five thousand were fed, and seven baskets when the four thousand were fed. Interesting enough, I heard another message by Pastor Jon, where he spoke about the significance of 12 and 7, as the 12 is reference towards the Kingdom of Heaven, while 7 is referenced towards the Kingdom of God.

 Just a thought, but the timetable is set towards the clock of Israel, but the trigger is pulled based upon the completion of the Gentiles. Just food for thought, because time is something that God has created for man, based upon His creation of the earth, the heavens included; yet, the Kingdom of God does not have any time associated with it, whatsoever!

 Anywho, this ointment, which was poured on Jesus, was said to have been worth a year's wages, which was quite a lot of money. There was quite a fuss made over the waste of something that was worth so much, which was why Jesus said what He said in the Scripture quoted above. 

 As Rick closed out his message last night, he used the portion of Mark 8:14-21 to explain something that we are all too familiar with: God's abilities and our expectations! It doesn't matter how many times God provides for our needs, when we are in need, we still get concerned and worry how God is going to meet our needs! 

 There was twelve of these guys, and they forgot to bring bread in the boat; yet they only had one loaf! They were so afraid that they were going to go hungry, because they only had one loaf! It would just be so funny if it wasn't so ridiculous! By the way, the way Pastor Rick explained it, the twelve baskets that were gather after feeding the Jewish crowd, were small personal baskets, as in, one for each of the disciples.

 Amazingly, the seven baskets filled after feeding the crowd of Gentiles were large baskets, big enough to hold a person in, more than enough to feed them again! Like it was never-ending! Weird, isn't it...

"As they were crossing the lake, Jesus warned them, "Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod." At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn't brought any bread. Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, "Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don't you know or understand even yet? Are you hearts too hard to take it in? You have eyes - can't you see? You have ears - can't you hear? Don't you remember anything at all? When I feed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterwards?" "Twelve," they said. "And when I fed the 4,000 with seven loaves, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up?" "Seven," they said. "Don't you understand yet?" he asked them." (Mark 8:15-21 NLT)

"A Certain Man"

"Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha." (John 11:1 KJV) 

  "God's way is perfect. All the LORD'S promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. For who is God except the LORD? Who but our God is a solid rock?" (Psalm 18:30-31 NLT)

 Sometimes we miss the anointing of God's peace and joy upon our lives because we are focus too much upon the hurt or discomfort, we might be suffering, either by our own sickness, or the sickness of someone we love. Not to make light of something that might be devastating in someone's life; but if you are a child of God, something devastating needs to be looked at through the Light! 

 I know, what do I know? I know for a fact, God does not allow us to go through anything that we cannot handle, as long as we stay close to Him! Actually, if you really want to know, I believe most of what we suffer through, be it sickness or otherwise, is to draw us closer and closer to Him. The Refiner's Fire, if you will, that refines the gold, bringing the slug to the top, to scrape it off. 

 Now about that peace and joy, it is always there, we just don't know it, because we don't choose to share it! Amazingly, as soon as we figure out what happens when we share the peace and joy of the Lord, we can actually feel the power it gives us to overcome the despair and suffering we might otherwise be experiencing. 

 It surely isn't rocket science, because this world cannot understand it, nor does it accept it as credible or real; but the peace and joy of the Lord is more real than anything this world might hand out! That my friend is for certain... 

"Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of underserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory." (Romans 5:1-2 NLT)  

"The Death of Lazarus"

  "A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. This is the same Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord's feet and wiped them with her hair. He brother, Lazarus, was sick. So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, "Lord, your dear friend is very sick."

 But when Jesus heard about it he said, "Lazarus's sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this." So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days. Finally, he said to his disciples, "Let's go back to Judea." 

 But his disciples objected, "Rabbi," they said, "only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?" 

 Jesus replied, "There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. But at night there is stumbling because they have no light." Then he said, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up." 

 The disciples said, "Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!" They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.

 So he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And for your sakes, I'm glad I wasn't there, for now you will really believe. Come, let's go see him." 

 Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let's go, too - and die with Jesus."" (John 11:1-16 NLT) 

 Just so you know, this is meant to be continued all the way to verse 44, but I have divided it up for a special reason, that involves God's timing, verses our unknowing. Something I think we seldom really think about, as we are not receiving answers or think that God does not hear our prayers. 

 Obviously, there is a little more to this particular story, because this has been taken so far out of text, the main reason for Jesus' delay, has somehow lost the light of day...

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39 KJV) 

"Saving Faith"

 "And many believed on him there." (John 10:42 KJV)

  "Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. Don't be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say the day of the Lord has already begun. Don't believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. Don't be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed - the one who brings destruction. He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God." (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 NLT)

 If you did not know, the Book of Revelation, is actually, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ." The word actually means, "to take the cover off," which is the uncovering of the Glory of Christ. As to the crowd that is to be given harps from God, singing the song of Moses and of the Lamb, those are the ones that make it through the tribulation; and when I say make it through, I mean that they refused the mark, and were killed for not doing so! 

 If you want to talk about 'saving faith', that is the by far the limit, as in, the boiling point of putting your faith in Jesus Christ. It just doesn't get more intense than that. Think about it: because the whole world will be against you, the church will be gone, and you will be pretty much left to make the choice, take the mark, or lose your head.

 The mark will be published as if it were something good, something that is meant to save everyone from something sinister, outside of this world. Those that refuse to accept the mark will be considered to be an enemy of this world, and their deaths will be encouraged by everyone that has received the mark, as if, those who don't have the mark, are a threat to them for not getting the mark. 

 Obviously, the plot sounds very similar to some of the current events, which in my opinion is just a test to see if everyone can be manipulated to fall in line; or if you will, the hardening of people's hearts. If you can get people to be accustomed to something long enough, then when it really becomes overpowering, they will be more controllable and become easier to get to fall in line. 

 Other than that, everything will be quite wonderful, thank goodness for God's loving grace! We that are currently saved will be observing, as those that are faced with the choice, dying or death! That means, you die for your faith, which means eternal life; or you get the mark, which means the second death! 

 By the way, this might seem a little off, but I truly believe that we are getting closer and closer. It could today, or it could be 10 more years down the road; regardless, there is no better time than right now to make your choice, life or death; which one suits you better? I think that I would pick the Leisure Suit...

""Come now, let's settle this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them a white a snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat. But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the LORD, have spoken!"" (Isaiah 1:18-20 NLT)