John 11: 23-26
"Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary was still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believes thou this?
Many Christians today put off the promises of God that apply to the present (right now) to some future time. Jesus was telling Martha in this scripture what He could do Right Now! However, Martha thought of His words as happening at some future time. Jesus said, "Thy brother shall rise again." Martha said, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection in the last day. Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection, and the life."
Jesus did not say I was or I will be....
but I am.
I am talking about right now.
Do not put off to a future time
that which God promises and wants to do for you Right Now.
Don't relegate to the past
what God has for you today.
Martha made the promise of God impersonal.
When Jesus said to her your brother shall rise again, she said, Oh I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. She grouped her brother Lazarus in with all the rest of the dead. She was telling Jesus that Lazarus would rise again when all the millions shall be rising from the graves when Jesus comes. But, if Mary wished to be comforted from this promise and have joy in her heart, she would have viewed the words of Jesus promise in a "personal" and positive way. Her response to Jesus would then have been "yes, God's people will rise again in the last day and my brother Lazarus is a child of God. When the trumpet sounds, my brother Lazarus shall rise again."
What a blessed time it is going to be when Jesus descends from Heaven with a shout to gather His people to Himself. As His redeemed, you and I will be in that number.
The Lord's promises are personal.
They are not just for others-they are for you and I.
Every promise in The Book is mine,
every chapter every verse every line.
Jesus has the table spread. If you go hungry at this banqueting table it is because of your own lack of faith.
In Luke 15:11-32 we read the story of the prodigal son. When the elder brother saw how the prodigal brother was so well received back home, blessed and forgiven, he complained to the Father, "All these years I have served you and you never did that for me. The Father said, "Son, all that I have is yours." Friends, YOU have not because you ask not. If you don't take God at His Word don't blame Him.
Let's get back to Martha....
notice the above scriptures again.
We are reminded of the blessed hope of the church. When Jesus comes the dead shall live.
Jesus said, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live...."
When Jesus comes all of the redeemed shall live even though they may have died and their bodies gone back to the dust.
The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17 that Jesus "shall descend from Heaven with a shout and the voice of the archangel and the trump of God"....and all the happy sleepers shall awake and arise. Lazarus shall arise. Your loved ones shall arise who have died in The Lord. You and I shall arise if we depart this earth before our Lord comes.
God's promise is sure.
Verse 26 above states, ""and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."
When Jesus comes all of the living believers shall not die. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 that "those that are alive and remain shall be caught up." They will be changed and prepared in the twinkling of an eye to pass into that glory state as did Enoch and Elijah....to be forever with the Lord. (Hebrews 11)
Jesus is the life of His people.
He is not only the resurrection to begin with
but He is the life to go on with!
He is the power of your life. He keeps you living. I am reminded of the words to a song, "because He lives we can live also."
FAITH is the channel - the only channel - by which we can have Jesus and have life.
"He that liveth and believeth on me shall never die." As long as we live in Him, abide in Him and trust in Him, we shall never die. There is no limit to life as long as we - by FAITH - drawn our life from HIM.
"In Him we live and move and have our being."
Acts 17:28
The words of Jesus...
"I am the resurrection and the life...."
There is no limit to the power of Jesus Christ. As He raised up Lazarus in that day, should He so choose, Jesus can raise the dead in this day....both physically and spiritually. One day (and I don't believe it will be long) Jesus will raise the dead by the millions, young and old alike, to draw them like a giant magnet unto Himself.
Do you have a need in your life RIGHT NOW ?
Christ has the power to meet your need.
He has the power to change your life and keep you living. There is nothing too hard for our Lord.
"All things are possible with them that believe."
Mark 9:23
"Only believe and thou shalt see the glory of God."
John 11:40
Martha limited God's time....
"I know you will ......in the last day."
Martha limited God as to her circumstance....
"Jesus said take away the stone. Lord by this time he stinks." (John 11:39)
Be reminded - The Lord is always on time!
***Lazarus is a given name and surname. It is derived from the Hebrew אלעזר, Elʿāzār (Eleazar) meaning "God has helped".
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