Jesus Wasn't There

John 11:15 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 chapter 11 is about the raising of Lazarus from the dead. This was probably one of, if not the most, amazing miracles Jesus did. Jesus knew that Lazarus was sick, but in verse 4, he says that this sickness was "for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." Whatever happened in this situation, it was all meant to bring glory to God. What caught my attention this morning was that Jesus says in verse 15 (above) that he was glad hewasn't there. 

How many times have I felt like Jesus wasn't around? How often have I felt forsaken, abandoned and utterly alone? Sometimes, it's just my flare for the dramatic. Other times, it could be that Jesus "isn't there" in a visible, powerful way because He has a greater purpose to accomplish than just rescuing me - He could be working in me, to bring glory to God.

Lazarus had been dead four days when Jesus arrived. I'm sure all hope was lost of his healing by that time. In fact, I'm pretty sure all hope was lost the moment he breathed his last breath.In verse 40, Jesus says to Martha, "Said not I unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" Believe. That's hard to do when one has no hope, isn't it? Yet, that is exactly what we should do. 

Forgetfulness and Fruitfulness

Genesis 41:51-52 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. And name of the second he called Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

Joseph had been done many wrongs in his young life. His brothers threw him in a pit, then pulled him up just to sell him into slavery. As a slave, he was falsely accused of trying to rape Potiphar's wife and then sent to prison. In prison, he interpreted dreams for Pharaoh's butler and baker, and was forgotten by the butler. Finally, in God's perfect plan and timing, Joseph was brought out of prison to interpret a dream for Pharaoh himself. Pharaoh was so impressed, that he made Joseph second in command. 

When his wife had their first child, Joseph gives us a peek into his emotions regarding the pain he suffered.He names his children Manasseh and Ephraim. Manasseh means "forgetting". But notice that Joseph didn't just "forget", no, God made him to forget. Have you noticed that if you stop re-playing past hurts over and over, that eventually you forget? It's like our brains sort of block the memory. It's happened to me, I've tried to recall some hurt from long ago, but can't quite remember. Some hurts, however, are still fresh even after years have passed. Why is that? Because some things, you just can't forget. That's when God will have to step in and "make" us to forget.

Ephraim means "fruitful". I think everyone wants to be fruitful. We want enough money, good health, popularity, and so forth. But, how can one ever be successful as a slave in a foreign country? Only God can do something like that; only our Heavenly Father can turn dire circumstances into opportunities to flourish. But we have to let Him do that. We must acknowledge Him all that we do. (Prov.3:6) We must trust Him for the grace to keep going.(2 Cor.12:9) We must also forget before we can be fruitful. Notice that's the order Joseph named his boys- forget, then you can be fruitful, unencumbered by the pain of the past.

Because of Jesus

Genesis 39:5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and overall that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

As I read this verse, I noticed that God blessed the lost world because of Joseph. Joseph followed God and trusted Him, even though he was hated (for no good reason) and falsely accused of a wrong doing. I'm not sure if Joseph was aware that God was blessing Potiphar because of him or not. Because you honor God in your life, you may have no idea how God is blessing those around you, because of your testimony. One blessing that a lost person receives because of you, is that you are saved. You have the ability to share with them how they, too, can meet the Master. What a life changing effect you can have! I pray that we  all get the opportunity to share Christ with someone this week. Wouldn't it be great to see someone birthed into God's family because of our witness? 

But not only that, I believe Joseph is a picture of Jesus here. How unworthy I am to receive blessings from my Heavenly Father! I would receive none at all were it not for Jesus' righteousness being imputed upon me! When God looks at me, He sees Jesus, and He treats me as such. He has a place in Heaven prepared for me; I can converse with Him at any time, day or night; I hear His voice through the pages of His Word; I feel His correction and experience His forgiveness and mercy and comfort. The list could go on and on! I daily receive multitudes of blessings because of Jesus. And I'm so very grateful!

Painful Words, Painful Wounds

Proverbs 26:22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

I completely understand this verse. For the past year, maybe a bit more than that, we've been dealing with talebearers. In modern lingo: Liars! Their lies have been spread around so much that there's no way to tell with whom it originated. And it hurts. Deeply. I have struggled with my flesh, wanting to right the wrongs, to defend myself, to tell them off! Then, the Lord says to me, "Whoa, girl! Think about that! You'd be just like they are; you'd be stooping to their level." My flesh says, "Oh yay! That will feel so good! Let's do it!" Then the Lord says, "No, that will just add more sorrow to your life in the long-run! Think about how Jesus answered liars, He opened not His mouth! You want to be like Him don't you? If you react that way, that's not being like Him at all!" Reluctantly, I force my flesh to do the right thing, but it's no fun!

But the damage has been done; the wounds are there. The next time I hear the lies, the scab is ripped off those wounds and they bleed anew. The cycle repeats itself. So far, I've heeded the Lord's prompting and not retaliated. But it's a fight. Have others wounded you with their words? Here are some verses that help me deal with those times.

Is. 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 

Prov. 26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

Prov. 24:10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. 

1 Pet. 5:7 Casting all your care upon him: for he careth for you.

Luke 6:31-34

31  And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 

32  For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 

33  And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 

34  But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 

Psa 64:1-10

(1)  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

(2)  Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:

(3)  Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

(4)  That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

(5)  They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?

(6)  They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

(7)  But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.

(8)  So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.

(9)  And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.

(10)  The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

I apologize for the lengthy post today, but this really encouraged me. I needed these words today. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to write all of this out. It has really helped me. 

He Has the Answers

John 6:5 When Jesus lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

In the passage today, the Lord and the disciples have 5,000 men, plus women and children, to feed. Jesus asks Philip, "What should we do?" Wow. The Creator of the universe asks a mere mortal what to do! The passage tells us that Jesus knew what He was going to do. He asked the question in order to "prove" or test Philip. Philip's answer was one of human reasoning, not blind faith. 

Each day I'm "tested" in my Christian life. I constantly see some area, new or old, in which I need to improve. Just when I think I've got a meek and quiet spirit, something happens and I blow up in front of the children. Just when I think I've got a discreet tongue, I let some bit of gossip or criticism slip out. Then, I realize that I thought I had those areas licked, and thinking that is a pride problem. There is always something! Perhaps the test is one similar to what Philip faced, like, where will I get food for today? Or, how will I pay this bill? How often do I view those dilemmas with human reasoning and try to figure a way out, rather than pray and let God work!

I wonder what would have happened if Philip had answered the Lord with something like, "Lord, You can handle this with no sweat. I can't wait to see what You'll do!" I wonder what would happen if I did that in my own life? I think I'll do my best to face today by letting God handle the tests. When I do it myself, I always seem to fail. After all, He already knows what He will do, so I think I'll just let Him do it.

A Burning, Shining Light

John 5:35 He [John] was a burning and a shining light: ...

Jesus tells us in John chapter 5 that John the Baptist was a "burning and a shining light." I want to be a "shining light" for the Lord, as well. Oh, no, I'll never be what John the Baptist was, but I can point others to Christ by life, just like he did!  Matthew 5:16 says Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

I can point others to the One who saved me by my good works. But don't be fooled, the world can tell when the good works are genuine, or just a show. They'll know if we're real when we get tested. Will we compromise? Will we truly trust the God of our salvation, or will we work out our problems ourselves? This will show whether or not our hearts' desire is to glorify God or if we're just trying to look good to man.

When others look at me, I hope they see a woman who loves the Lord. I also hope they see that I'm just a sinner, striving to glorify God (against my flesh) each and every day. I worry about those who never seem to struggle against the flesh. Either they aren't genuinely serving the Lord, because God's people will endure suffering (1 Peter 2:21) or they aren't being real with me. And, personally, I like real. 

May each of us glorify God with our works, and therefore shine a burning light into the darkness of this world! 

See for Yourself

John 4:42 And said they unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.

I read this morning about the woman at the well. In the first verse of chapter four, Jesus is aware that the Pharisees are comparing His ministry with John's. They see that Jesus is baptizing more disciples than John. When did they take opposing sides? When did it become a competition? In verse 3, Jesus departs to Galilee, but He goes through Samaria. It is there that He saves the woman at the well, along with the many people she witnesses to.

I am so tired of the "comparing" game. I'm so tired of preachers making the ministry all about themselves. We are all on the same side: Jesus' side! We recently heard of a church that is hosting a preaching conference that is all about the memory of a dead preacher. What happened to making Christ the center of life, of service, of everything? As frustrating as the "comparers" are, it's best to just stay focused on the work He's given me. After all, Jesus didn't attack the Pharisees and line them out. He departed and gave living water to a very needy woman. When comparisons start, or criticisms come, we can't stop and take on those causes. We need to get busy,  we need to "depart", if you will, and think about those whom have never met our Savior!

I loved the verse above, where it tells us that the people the woman at the well witnessed to believed because they met Christ. We need to tell others about the Lord, but only they can experience Him for themselves. We can't force Him down someone's throat. But, if they talk to Him, if they listen to Him, they will never be the same. They will believe, because He is wonderful! It makes me think of the verse in Psalm 34:8  O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Have you met Him? If you have, you know He is good, because you've heard and seen Him through faith for yourself.