John 11:6 Yet when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days. Good Morning Family, when you get a chance please read the story of Lazarus, John 11: 1-44 NIV Let me start off this beautiful day by saying to you family that delays in our lives are not always easy to handle or to reconcile in our minds, why; because most of the time we don’t have the patience. Often, when God does not answer our prayers in the time that we feel He should, we appoint all sorts of characteristics to Gods nature that imply He does not care. (Whatever you do don’t say “I don’t do that! I don’t want anyone to start their day off in denial!) Such was the case with Lazarus sisters when Lazarus became ill and died. Jesus was a close friend to Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha. Instead of immediately traveling to Bethany, Jesus intentionally remains where he is for two more days before beginning the journey. When Jesus arrived, Martha shamed Him by saying, If you had come he would not have died. She implied that He didnt care enough to come when she sent for Him. What I want you to see here family is that it was a matter of priorities for Jesus, not a lack of love. What I am saying to you family is that God often has to delay His work in us in order to accomplish something for His purposes that can be achieved only in the delay. (I can feel it in my mind; someone just said: “What are you talking about Minister? Therefore; let me park here for a minute and walk down your street.) You see family; Jesus had to let Lazarus die in order for the miracle that was about to take place to have its full effect. If Jesus had simply healed a sick man, the impact of the miracle would not have been as newsworthy as resurrecting a man who had been dead for four days. This is Jesus greatest public relations act of His whole ministry. What many do not realize family, is that the key to the whole story is in the next chapter. Many people, because they had heard that He had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet Him. So the Pharisees said to one another, See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after Him! (John 12:18-19) If Jesus had not raised Lazarus from the dead, there would have been no crowds to cheer the Lord when He came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey……Halleluiah! I come to tell you this morning family that God often sets the stage so that His glory is revealed through the events that He orchestrates…..OMG…I feel like preaching!! He did this with Moses and Pharaoh, allowing delay after delay for release of the Israelites from Egypt…..Amen Somebody! He did this with Abraham and Sarah for the promised child, Isaac. God granted Sarah a baby past the age of childbearing in order to demonstrate His power…….You Feel me! God did this in my own life. He delayed the fulfillment of what I believed He called me to do for several years. But the delays provided the necessary preparation and greater glory that God was to receive. My friend, dont take the delays lightly. Do not faint as God places you in what seems to be a holding pattern. God is at work. God knows the purposes for His delays. Dont give up, for they are for His greater glory; so we need to remain faithful. To God Be The Glory!! Amen, Amen and Amen. God Bless You All, Have A Great Godly Day in the Lord.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 10:01:57 +0000
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