Walk like an Egyptian?

 

”But the magicians of Egypt did the same things by their magic arts. So, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.“ Exodus 7:22 BSB

We are like Pharaoh who believed he was in control and defied God’s command. He called his magicians and showed he could do what Moses said God would do to him (and his citizens). He felt he did not need God because he could do and have whatever he wanted. He was stubborn and rebelled against God.

How often do we tell ourselves, and then God, “I can get what I want, so why do I need God or need to call on Him? See all I have provided for myself with the job I found. I don’t need God.” We are being stubborn when we say this aloud or within our minds. We forget God gave us the mental and physical capacity to have that job. He led us to that job. God provided the goods that we buy with the money from the job He gave us. We rebel against Him and steal His glory by saying these things and acting this way. This is sinful. 

Will we turn to God before extreme measures happen to change our focus from ourselves to God? Will it take a major incident like the “dying-of-firstborns” (like God did with Pharaoh) for us to recognize God as supreme and recognize our need of and reliance on Him? We must remember, too, that our stubbornness and rebellion affect people around us.

I pray today that I never again consider who I am, what I have, and what I think to be more important and have supremacy over who God is, what He’s done, and the love He gives. What will you pray—confession and submission to God—or will you turn away from Him again

No Temporary Tabernacle

And the Word (Christ) became flesh and tabernacled among us; and we (John and the disciples) saw His glory, glory as belongs to the only begotten Son of the Father, who is full of grace and truth. (John 1:14, paraphrase)

In the Old Testament, God told Moses to build a tabernacle for Him. In it, He would dwell and be with the Israelites as they journeyed to the Promised Land. God told them with what to build the tabernacle and its size, and what furniture and vessels it would contain. Since its construction was of cloth and wood, the tabernacle was easy to assemble and disassemble as the Israelites journeyed to the Promised Land. This tabernacle shone during the night. It was the light of God for the Israelites to see and remember God was among them. A cloud descended upon the tabernacle when Moses entered it to be with God. When Moses came from the tabernacle, his face shone with the glory of God and the people feared death because they recognized they could see God’s glory. They remembered that anyone who gazes upon God would die. The Israelites asked Moses to cover his face after he had been in God’s presence for fear they would die.

John told about Jesus in the first chapter of his gospel. He called Jesus the Light. God was the God light to the Israelites since they left Egypt. God’s light from His being led them as they walked at night. His light showed He was in His tabernacle. God’s light showed God’s presence. Jesus came to earth as a human, bringing God's light and glory among the people. In John 1:9-10, John wrote, Jesus was the true Light. Despite creating the world, Jesus went unrecognized and disbelieved by His own people during His time on earth.

In verse fourteen, John returned to God’s glory and Light, God’s plan revealed through Jesus. John explained the truth about Jesus. Jesus, the Word of God, was born in human flesh. He gave up His throne in heaven. God's plan is to save people from the judgment their sins deserve on judgment day. He desires no judgment or condemnation for anyone. God wants to have an eternal relationship with everybody. He made a way to rescue each person from the sin judgment of separation from Him. John said, “And the Word became flesh and lived among us.” For our sins and God’s love for us, Jesus left His throne to be born as a human, to teach each person about God’s love and plan for their salvation, and then to be the sacrifice needed to pay the penalty for the sins of each person who will believe in Him.

John continued about who Jesus is and testified for himself and the disciples. He wrote, “We actually saw His glory, glory as belongs to the only Son of the Father.” Remember, in the Old Testament, God dwelled in the tabernacle and, later, the temple. His glory shone from the tent and the faces of the men who met with Him. Jesus became God’s glory among the people. Jesus, the Son of God, dwelled with the people. “God with us,” Emmanuel, is Jesus. From Jesus shone God’s glory. Jesus did not lose His divinity when He lived on earth as a man. Divine is who Jesus is. He and God are one. God’s divinity and glory are Jesus’ divinity and glory. Jesus became “God with us” at His birth. The glory of God shone on earth for everyone, not only the Israelites who built the tabernacle and temple.

Jesus’ life on earth showed the truth of who He is. His grace—divine favor, kindness, and love—and His miracles revealed His divinity and glory. Jesus tabernacles with us. He did not merely live in Israel. Jesus showed His glory, power, majesty, and truth as He acted and spoke and, by these, showed the people He is divine. Jesus walked among people. He truly is “God with us.” Jesus revealed and became the gospel plan to rescue people from the death sentence and eternal separation from God their sins deserve. By God’s grace—His undeserved love—Jesus tabernacled among people. God showed He is more than transcendent; He cares what happens in our lives. God is imminent. He is here every moment, walking with us—tabernacling with us—guiding us through life and rescuing us in times of trouble and from our sins. That is the meaning of “God with us”—helping and rescuing us daily. God's salvation plan protects us daily from sin and harm, both now and in eternity.

God became flesh and tabernacled—dwelled—among us. He is, was, and will always be. He is for us, not against us. Are you daily meeting God in the tabernacle He created by the salvation you received? God makes tabernacling with Him available to us through His Spirit dwelling in each believer in Jesus. We Christians are privileged to be with God in every breath we breathe. Draw close to God and be with Him; He is for you.

God is as close as your next breath.

Are you tabernacling with God, spending time with Him each day? He is calling to you.

Do you want closeness to God—the Father, Son, and Spirit—but do not know how? Write to me and I will lead you to know God through the salvation Jesus  gives.

 

Anger and Perspective

 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.” — John 11:25

 

In this passage, Martha asked accusingly why Jesus had not come sooner when he had learned of Lazarus’ illness. She knew Jesus could heal him and blamed Jesus for his death. We can imagine she might have said, “I thought you loved Lazarus as your brother, Jesus. Why couldn’t you come heal him?” Martha blamed Jesus for Lazarus’ death. She did not deny his death but was angry Lazarus had died. “Why, Jesus, did you let him die?” she might have asked. 

 

God had another plan, one far greater. In John 10, Jewish religious leaders asked Jesus to tell them if he was the Christ. Jesus replied that his works in the Father’s name testify to who he is (John 10:25). Next, He stated to these leaders that his sheep hear his voice and follow him, and he gives them eternal life, so they will not perish (John 10:26-28). The religious leaders wanted to arrest Jesus for blasphemy. They wanted to stone him.

 

Jesus told the religious leaders about his disciples and what they do; they listen to his voice and follow him. He spoke about what he does for his disciples (believers)—give them eternal life. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived in Bethany. It was about two miles outside of Jerusalem. Jesus' teachings on eternal life would have been shared in Bethany prior to his arrival after Lazarus' death. This makes Martha and Jesus’ conversation poignant. She would have heard that Jesus gives life to his followers. Would Martha have pondered this and wondered why Jesus didn’t heal and give life to Lazarus, his follower and friend?

 

When Jesus received Martha’s message that Lazarus was sick, he stayed two more days in Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan, where John the Baptist first began his ministry. He said the sickness of Lazarus would not end in death, but would bring glory to God (John 11:4). The second day after Martha’s message, Jesus told the disciples it was time to return to the Jerusalem area—to Bethany, a two-day walk from where they were. The disciples worried about Jesus being stoned by the Jewish religious leaders (vs. 8). Jesus had no concern about his death. He knew he wouldn't die soon, and stoning was not how it would happen. 

 

The disciples appeared to have forgotten the introduction to the lesson Jesus was teaching them—Lazarus’ life would bring glory to God (vs. 4). Jesus told them Lazarus was asleep, and he was going to Bethany to awaken him. The disciples couldn't understand or remember Jesus' words because the human mind struggles with grasping spiritual concepts. Jesus said in John 10, he gives eternal life to his disciples. The disciples’ reply to Jesus’ statement of going to Bethany to awaken Lazarus showed their literal understanding. Jesus meant Lazarus was dead, not just sleeping (vs 12-14). For the disciples’ (all disciples of all time) sake, Jesus said he was glad he wasn’t in Bethany to heal Lazarus. 

 

After a two-day wait and a two-day walk to Bethany, Jesus arrived after Lazarus had been dead for four days. Jesus understood the number three symbolized completeness. The third day after a person’s death signified the person was certifiably dead. The fourth day after, a person was dead-dead. No doubt could exist that he or she was asleep, in a coma, or sick. The dead person would not awaken and walk out of the tomb. Jesus arrived in Bethany when the people had no doubt Lazarus truly was dead. 

 

The stage was set. Jesus walked on scene when mourning was obvious. Those aware of Jesus' close bond with Lazarus' family would have wondered why he had arrived so late. They might have whispered among themselves, wondering why Jesus didn’t use his power to heal Lazarus. These people may have heard about Jesus’ conversation with the religious leaders four days earlier about giving eternal life to his disciples and wondered why Jesus wouldn’t have spared Lazarus’ life and the heartache of the sisters. “Did Jesus not love them?” they may have conjectured. 

 

The curtain rose and Martha confronted Jesus about not arriving before Lazarus died. “You could have healed him,” we suppose Martha said. Jesus replied, as any Jew would say, “He will rise again.” (Jews believe in a bodily resurrection.) Martha’s reply, we conjecture, is our own, “I know that, but why weren’t you here? You could have healed him.” Do you recognize your own voice in this situation? Jesus’ reply to Martha is a reply to humanity, and the lesson Jesus began in John 11:4. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

 

These verses are the lesson. They bring glory to God and glorify the Son (vs. 4). In what way? Jesus did not just say he gives resurrection and eternal life to believers. He didn’t say he merely creates and resurrects people. Jesus said, “I AM the Resurrection. I AM the Life.” Jesus doesn’t just give from what he creates. He gives from himself, from his essence. Just as perfect love (agape) comes from God’s being, since it’s part of his essence, life comes from his being. God—the Trinity—is the origin of life, the Author. He is, has been, and will always be. God is not created, but is. Jesus assured Martha and the listeners that he is life, both in the present and for all eternity. The life Jesus lives is from his eternal being and that’s the life he gives—eternal life. Jesus is the resurrection, and that is an undeniable truth. Jesus offers everlasting life that surpasses death's boundaries. Jesus gives resurrection life from his life to people who believe in him when he saves them. These people become his disciples when he Jesus saves them.

 

The manifestation of God's glory, as Jesus foretold, would show through Lazarus' death. After Jesus spoke with Martha and Mary, other Jews questioned Jesus about not arriving sooner to keep Lazarus from dying (vs 37). These Jews refocused all eyes on Jesus’ purpose, as he stated in verse four. 

 

The curtain arose on the next scene. Jesus commanded the people to roll stone from the tomb. Martha stated the obvious after four days of his death. “His body will stink,” she said. Jesus reminded the watchers, if they believe, they will see the glory of God (vs 40). Jesus prayed to the Father, thanking Him for hearing and understanding the people's experiences, teaching them about God's attentiveness. Finally, Jesus commanded, “Lazarus, come out!” Lazarus walked from the tomb still bound in the death cloths and Jesus ordered him to be unbound. Notice, no one doubted Jesus’ authority or power. They did not rebel at doing what he commanded. People moved the stone. Lazarus walked out of the tomb. People removed the death cloths from Lazarus. 

 

Returning to verse four, the lessons Jesus taught are several. God is Lord over life. Jesus is life, the author/originator of it. As life, Jesus is the resurrection. He has power to bind and/or cast away death. God hears us and knows what we are facing. He cries with/for us because of his great love for us. Most of all, Jesus is to be glorified. That’s why Jesus waited two days before beginning his journey to Bethany. 

 

What does giving God glory mean? It means displaying acts of kindness and love, regardless of whether anyone witnesses them. Giving God glory means obeying God by doing what he says when he says it. often, God’s timing is a very important part of his plan. Rushing in to help too soon may prevent people from seeing God, only you. You would, then, be stealing God’s glory. How God intervenes is important. Failing to help someone according to God's plan means we don't do what's best for them and God isn't glorified. If we rush in to rescue someone without praying and seeking God’s will, we take God’s glory and could create a worse problem for the person needing help. Often, part of God’s plan is for the person in need to be a part of praying for God’s guidance and help. That enables the person who needs help to know God hears and loves. That brings God glory.

 

Jesus, filled with love for his stressed and grieving friends, waited two days before being with them. Yes, he could have healed Lazarus by being there or by just saying, “Be healed,” while he stood at Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan. Yet, Jesus knew God’s plan for Lazarus’ life, since Jesus is part of the Trinity. Lazarus' life would bring glory to God and reveal Jesus as the Messiah, the Resurrection, and the Life. 

 

Today, do you need to remember Lazarus’ story because you need new life from Jesus? Do you need a reminder to trust God's plan and avoid hastily rescuing someone from a situation? Jesus is the only real Savior. Do you need to remember that God’s plan is best and not to rely on your own plan? Finally, do you need to remember to glorify God with your life? He can use all of you, in life and death, for his glory if you will totally surrender it to him. 

 

Martha was angry. She and Mary blamed Jesus. Lazarus, we may surmise, was thankful for God’s plan. He was alive, and God had used him for God’s own glory and purpose. Are you angry at God? For what do you blame God? Will you spend time with him now in prayer to get his perspective and understand better? See God and his purposes in your circumstances. “Seek God with all your heart and you will find him” (Jeremiah 29:13). God said when you seek him, he will be found by you (Jeremiah 29:14a).

One Thing I Have Asked

One thing I have asked from the Lord,

that I desire (seek) to serve Him,

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord (be in His presence) all the days of my life,

to gaze on the beauty and pleasantness of the Lord (seeing His glorious face) and

to contemplate on Him in His temple.

Psalms 27:4

 

Only a pure (righteous) person, made so by God, can look at the Lord. In the Old Testament, the Israelites understood when an unrighteous person looked at God, that person would die. Moses understood this. He learned it from God when God covered Moses’ face on the mountain so he would not see His face and die. 

David expressed his greatest desire was to seek to serve the Lord. He stated one desire then expounded on it. To serve the Lord, David wanted to be with God in His house—the temple. He wanted to be where he knew the presence of the Lord resided. Why? Because in the presence of the Lord is holiness, peace, understanding, and the fulfillment of our greatest desire—to be in a right relationship with God. 

While in the house of the Lord seeking to serve Him, David could get clarity of thought with one purpose, without being pulled in the many directions a king is asked to make decisions. He could focus on God without the world pulling on him. David could hear the voice of God’s directions without clamor. That brings peace and understanding. 

Being with God and gazing on His face brings stillness, quiet, and fulfillment of our most inborn desire, to be in relationship with the Lord and to see and to serve Him.  No fear of death. No fear from the world. Just peace, joint purpose, and reverence. That’s what David meant when he wrote he wanted one thing: to seek to serve the Lord by being in His temple, gazing on Him, and contemplating Him. 

How can we serve the Lord now? Do we truly want to be in God’s presence, or do we only want His approval for what we want to do or already do. We can only truly be in God’s holy presence by being made righteous by His Son Jesus. We can feel the pull towards God and go to a quiet place seeking Him—in the forest, by the sea, in a church—but until we believe in Jesus and, thereby, are made clean from sin (be made righteous), we cannot be in the presence of God. We cannot behold the beauty of His face. His Spirit pulls us towards God with the conviction to follow Him to quiet places. Until we heed that pull and recognize and submit to God’s calling us to be in a righteous relationship with Him by believing in Jesus, we cannot see His face, only be drawn to Him. 

Following the convictions placed on your heart, the pulling of the Holy Spirit on you, and submitting yourself to God by believing in Jesus to be saved, leads you to want more than God’s approval for what you do. It leads you to do what God wants done.

So, how can you serve the Lord now? Believe in Jesus and be saved. Seek God in His quiet places; seek His face. Seek to know and do His will. Dwelling in the house of the Lord daily is being with Him like this. Seeking and being with God. Revering Him. Listening for His will and commands. Praising Him for His direction and what He has done. Going from there but not from Him to show Him through your being to the people with whom you meet that day. 

Do you go into your day without having seen God’s face? I encourage you to be with Him first so people will experience God through you. Without that time, there’s a greater chance people will only experience you not God. 

God Renews, So

 

“Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16 

Don’t lose heart, become spiritless, give up, and lose the will to go on. Yes, our physical bodies are aging and decaying. But, if we, individually, believe in Jesus, God will renew our inner self—heart, mind, and spirit—to be like Christ’s. We do not and cannot renew our inner selves.

God’s renewing our inner selves makes us more able to daily know what to do, say, and think. When we stay in tune with God daily, He renews us. He never grows tired or weary, like we mortals do. God continues to renew us, strengthen and embolden us, guide, and teach us. His never gives up on renewing us or calling the unsaved to turn to Him. God’s love, power, and patience are limitless. He is our strength, power, inspiration, teacher, guide, protector, and provider. We hold onto Him by continuing to pray, read and study the Bible, worship Him, and do what He says. 

There’s more. The “therefore” at the beginning of this verse leads us to consider what Paul wrote before verse 16. This “therefore” means that because of something or despite something…. we must remember God is renewing us, so we shouldn’t become spiritless, afraid, faint, or give up, unless God says to.

What happened before verse 16 that Paul wants us to remember? Verse seven tells us to remember we are mortal. As God’s servants and children, we will be… 

*hard-pressed, but not crushed

*Perplexed but not despairing

*Persecuted but not forsaken

*Struck down but not destroyed

Why? Because God is more powerful than anything that comes against us, and He renews us. He keeps His children from being crushed, despairing, forsaken, and destroyed. Only God can utterly destroy anything and anyone. 

Nothing anyone or spiritual being does can ever remove us from God’s hands. Our mortal flesh already is decaying, but God is renewing our inner self. He gave us the new inner self when we believed. Nothing and nobody can take it from us. 

Instead, though we are mortal, we gladly give our lives for Jesus’ sake to reveal Him to other people (verse 11). We do this so those people can see the life of Jesus through our words, actions, and attitudes, and believe in Him for themselves.

Therefore, don’t lose heart, faint, or grow weary because of the task, fatigue, numbers of people and their needs, or persecution that may come. Yes, your mortal body is decaying. Yet, God is renewing your inner self daily to be more like Jesus and be in closer communion with Him. 

“Those who wait upon the Lord will receive renewed strength and will Mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” —Isaiah 40:31

Laughing in Praise

 

Read Genesis 21:1-7. Consider Abraham’s and Sarah’s ages when God fulfilled His promise to them of giving them a son. Upon Isaac’s birth, Sarah laughed.

Do you give up on God coming through for you as He promised? Do you have an idea on how He will fulfill His promise? It could be that God sees the fulfillment of His promise in a different way. 

Instead of expecting God to answer you prayers and His promises in a particular way, know God will fulfill them in the best way. His thoughts are higher than ours and His ways always come in the perfect way and at the perfect time. 

This year, hold onto God’s promises and continue to grow your relationship with Him through prayer. Expect He will intercede like He promised. Know He is faithful to Himself, His promises, and you. Have no boundaries in which you expect God to work in your life. 

God is boundless. He works in great and mysterious ways. When God answers your prayers and fulfills His promises, laugh in joy and surprise as Sarah did declaring the glories and faithfulness of God.