KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:24 KJV” Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

The scriptures have always revealed that God desires the best for men. Unfortunately, man seems to settle for something different. After the fall of man in the garden of Eden, men have unconsciously expected the worse. When Jesus taught His disciples, the model prayer. He said in one of the lines, ‘thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven’. There are perfect peace, comfort, and supernatural provisions in heaven, yet what do men experience on this earth? This is so because man has refused to agree with God.  Most men have lost the true consciousness of God, and so are left to struggle out everything by their natural understanding. They live by their natural brut effort. This is the limitation of man.

In our key scripture; the Lord Jesus talked about Lazarus being raised to life again. Martha was talking about Lazarus rising up at the final resurrection of all humanity. Why the disparity of views? Martha was thinking from her natural understanding, and could not look beyond. She could not imagine that her dead brother could be brought back to life at that moment. Men are limited by their physical domain. Man’s reasoning faculties and his sensory organs remain his world of reality and potential. He remains on a different wavelength from God, most of the time.

The scriptures have been given to us so man could assume another culture of thinking and doing things. The scriptures must be allowed to renovate our mental state, in order to flow with God. He says in Isaiah 55, the following statements. The unrighteous man should forsake his thoughts, and the wicked man., his ways. He says further, Isa 55:8 KJV” For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” The Lord says He functions by His word MEN must align with God’s word  so we can have what He has for men

CONFESSION

I thank you Father for your word, which is given to us, to lift men from their limitations into God’s potential. I fully submit to your word and function by it. I experience the abundance of God’s provisions. I have God’s peace and power to reign in this life.

FURTHER STUDIES

Rom 12:2 KJV “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Isa 55:9, 11 KJV “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

KEY SCRIPTURE Joh 11:23 KJV” Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again”.

The scriptures have shown that God always responds to our faith in Him. Just after Martha said, I know that God will do whatever you ask Him; the Lord promptly answered her, and said, your brother will live again. Heb 11:2 says ” through faith, the elders obtained a good report. It also adds that without faith, it is impossible to please God. Faith in God honours Him the most. Faith in God places one on God’s level and makes his or her actions as God himself.

Why is functioning in faith so important to relate with God? God is a Spirit, and faith in Him makes the individual also function in that capacity. Your faith is the spiritual hand to receive from the Lord. Our nose is our physical ability to smell. The mouth of a man cannot smell anything. You would always need the nose to do the smelling. The nose cannot also taste anything. The spiritual is a very real world. The spiritual is absent in the eyes, nose, ears, skin, and tongue. These parts are the body’s sensory organs, to contact the physical world. How does a man contact the spiritual realm? He does it by his faith.

Faith functions from the heart. The heart of man is where his spirit is. Rom 10:10 KJV “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.” We believe with the heart. We do not believe with our minds, sight, or any of the senses. Just as you cannot see with your ears, so can’t a man believe with physical senses, but with our heart? This is the reason faith may not sound reasonable, yet always brings results.

CONFESSION

Thank you, father, for your word that builds faith in me. By my faith in you, all things are possible with me. My faith takes me I am free from the world of stress and anxiety. My faith put me in charge of every situation.

THOUGHT: KEEP YOUR FAITH ACTIVE, TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER

FURTHER STUDIES

Mat 8:8 KJV “The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”

Mar 5:36 KJV “As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:22 KJV” But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee”.

After Martha failed to express the right reception of the Lord, she quickly switched over to declare a very positive statement of faith. Our words show our persuasions. She said I know that God will do whatever you ask him. She expressed her knowledge of the Lord. The Bible said Mary and Martha have been friends of the master. They had known His doctrine, His acts, and works. These ladies have heard the master, teach in their homes, and go out with Him on some of His preaching trips, as one of His disciples. Her reaction was a cumulative result of all these contacts with the master. In effect, she had built a solid foundation of contacts with the master.

How much do you know the master? How much time have you committed to searching and studying about Him? Have you acted on His word to know His acts and works? Your ability to stand and make positive faith in Jesus does not come by chance. It comes as a result of continuous, consistent dedication to Christ and His ways. Give attention to the word of God. Fill your heart with the word of God. Be like Mary and Martha who spent quality time with the master.

Some avenues to receive His word

1. The gathering of the saints in church or other fellowship times

2. Personal reading or studying of the bible

3. Listening to audio messages

4. Times of prayer and fasting. Jude 1:20

5. Daily confessions of the word

6. Acting on the word of God

If you would diligently do these things, your heart will always be ready to conquer whatever may come your way.

CONFESSION

Thank you, father, for your word. A visit with your word is a visit with you. My faith is strengthened as I give attention to study your word and practice what it teaches. I am lifted above every challenge or opposition that comes my way

FURTHER STUDIES

Prov 4:20 KJV My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

1Ti 4:15 KJV” Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:21 KJV “Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”

Martha ‘s statement at seeing Jesus was not to glorify, praise or thank Him. She rather complained to Him. She showed her complaint by saying, if you have been here my brother will not have died. This is what makes men lose touch with God. The instruction of scripture is to give thanks to the Lord in all situations .1 Thess5:18. Martha’s first word to the Lord should have been, thank you Jesus for coming. Dear one, never lose sight of the greatness of the Lord over any situation as well as, His goodness to us, no matter how bad or grave a condition may be. Give Him thanks in all situations

Men may get overwhelmed with their problems such that, they become so obsessed with it, and do not see any way out. Problems and difficulties are real, yet they are nothing before our mighty God. Solutions never come because, we are worried or afraid of the danger of a condition. Solutions always come from God. God brings solutions when we believe Him. God has said all things are possible to them that believe. Please consider what the Lord said, in Mark 9:23. He said “all things are possible to those who believe”. You become the solution to your problem, when you believe. Now who holds the key to your difficulty? It is you, so refuse to be overtaken by the seriousness of the problem and focus on God through your faith.

What is the way out? Take time to fill your heart with the greatness and power of Jesus. Isa 8:13 KJV” Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” To sanctify means to set apart. It means set the Lord apart by making Him far greater and mightier than anything. In actual fact, make Him who he is. This you can do by meditating on His great works in scripture.

CONFESSION

I sanctify the Lord God in my heart. I crown Him as Lord inspite of what I face. With faith in Him I overcome every difficulty. Glory be to God for always making me victorious in all situations.

FURTHER STUDIES

Heb 11:2 KJV” For by it (faith) the elders obtained a good report”.

Heb 11:6 KJV” But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:20 KJV” Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house”.

This key scripture has a very important lesson to teach us. It teaches about , acting properly with no partiality. The earlier verse says , people from Bethany had come in their numbers to console   the two sisters. Right after that moment they heard that the Lord Jesus had come around. These sisters made a quick decision. Martha ‘you go and meet the master , while I Mary attend to the many people who have come here because of us’. Jesus was a very important person, yet they had to acknowledge all these people who had come to show love and sympathy with them. They gave due respect to the people as well. Could you imagine the two sisters leaving their visitors, and going to the master?

I believe we have to always learn to treat all persons with great respect. People easily categorise some people as very important and others who have , low social status as not that important.1Ti 5:21 KJV “I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.” The scripture cautions us not to be partial. It is sad to see certain individuals marginalised in church because, they do not command that much financial power. I am talking about clear open mistreatment and neglect .This ought not be the case.

In this discourse I do not mean any man is in the class o our

Lord Jesus, I am saying as children of God, we must attend to all men with no partiality. Even when giving money to a beggar by the roadside, do not throw it at him , or her. Try and put the money in his palm, if possible.

What happens to us, when we wrongly treat our neighbours? Remember that, the Lord said, what you do to one, you have done it to Him. When we show disrespect for people, we have done it to the Lord. We are always blessed if we show fairness to all men, but may come under a curse if we show such partiality.

CONFESSION

Thank you, heavenly Father, for the opportunity to relate to all men. I love all men, and do not show partiality to any. All are in the image of God, and I show   fairness to all.

FURTHER STUDIES

Jas 3:17 KJV “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”

Mat 25:44 KJV “Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee; Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.?”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:18 KJV” Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:”

Our opening scripture says that Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus was only two miles from Jerusalem, where Jesus was with his disciples. It suggests that since He was so close by, Jesus could have just walked for about two hours and He would be in Bethany. Although Lazarus’ location was not far, Jesus did not get there as everyone anticipated. Men may desire and assume in their hearts how God should respond to their requests, yet, He does things His own way. We know that  God does all things for His glory, and also to bring blessing to men.

Once again our key scripture paints a picture of how most of the people in Bethany, and those in Mary and Martha’s house may be thinking. They may be saying, our  town is just two miles away, why has the master come so late? No one should ever think for God. The best that one could do for Himself, is to believe that God’s actions are always to bless us. No matter how events may be going, let your love for God remain strong. Many people fall for the deceit of Satan, to think that , God is forgotten about them.

Others choose to help God bring to pass what He has said. Abraham chose to help God when the promise was delaying. He listened to Sarah’s advice to make Hagah have seed for him. This step has generated a perpetual conflict between Jews and the Arabs. If  a promise of God seems to delay you keep meditating on the faithfulness of God, and keep declaring that God is not a man that , He should lie, neither the son of man, that He should repent. Has he said, and shall he not do it. Has he spoken, and would He not make it good ? It may appear God is delaying yet wait, for the promise would speak.

CONFESSION

God is good all the time, and will never go back on His word. God cannot lie. I will hold on to His word even when the promise seems to delay

I receive my answers as I trust in His word.

Amen.

FURTHER STUDIES

Hab 2:3 KJV “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

2Sa 22:31 KJV “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:17 KJV “Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.”

Faith is that supernatural power of God, that works through the heart of men and knows no impossibility. Mar 9:23 KJV” Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth”. The wording of our key scripture suggests the Lord Jesus came to know that Lazarus had been dead, for four days when He got to Bethany where Mary and Martha were. Knowing that he had been in the grave for four days, did not move Him. Jesus had been in touch with the Father, and so He knew what was going to be the outcome of the condition.

Circumstances  or situations has overwhelmed many because they look at the enormity of the event, and not at the almightiness of God, and what He has said in His word. Jeremiah 32:17 KJV “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:”

Apostle Smith Wigglesworth, used to say, he is not moved by the circumstances but rather, he is moved by what he believes. According to the bible your faith in God, is the great force to calm down every opposition. Every threatening condition is an opposition, and your faith can stop it. Eph 6:16 KJV” Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”

In light of the great potency of our faith,  and its corresponding importance, we must make sure our faith is ever ready to deal with every opposition that comes against us. Remember faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Give time to receiving the word that builds faith in you. Praying often in the Spirit also builds up the faith of a man. One who prays often, naturally feels prepared to stand up against the threats of darkness. Jud 1:20 KJV” But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, “The other things that strengthen faith is to put the word of God into practice. Do everything to raise your faith to a higher level always.

CONFESSION

My faith is my victory against any opposition I encounter. I win always over every attack of the devil, and do not submit to the threat or magnitude of the condition. With faith all things are possible to him who believes.

THOUGHT: LET THE GREATNESS ,OR THE POTENTIALS OF FAITH, CONTROL YOU , THAN THE MAGNITUDE OF THE CHALLENGE.

FURTHER STUDIES

Mar 5:34 KJV “And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”

1Jn 5:4 KJV “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith”.

KEY SCRIPTURE Joh 11:16 KJV” Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him”.

Words are documents in the Spirit, that gives God and His angels the right to assist us or permits Satan and his demons the grounds to invade one’s life and destroy him or her. Mat 12:37 KJV” For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”: According to Ps 45:1, the tongue is  pen of a ready writer. It writes matters or decrees that can set you free or bind and make a mess of you. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit thereof. Prov 18;21.

In our key scripture Thomas answering the Lord” s statement concerning the death of Lazarus, said , Let us go and die with him. The Lord talked about going to raise  him up, he, Thomas, was speaking about going to die with him. What was the essence of such a statement ?It was purely a careless statement. Col 4:6 KJV “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” To avoid such careless ways of speaking; we must heed the following advice. James 1:19 KJV” Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath”:

Now, how should we speak according to the scriptures:

1.   Speak the truth Eph 4;15

2.   Speak in love Eph 4:15

3. Speak words born in faith 2nd Cor 4:13

4. Speak words of hope Ps 32:7

5. Speak thoughtful words. James 1: 19

6. Speak respectfully

7. Speak thankfully 1st Chron.16:8

8. Speak praisefully Ps 30:12

9. Speak joyfully

The above way of speaking are deeply rooted in the scriptures. You must avoid all words that the word of God forbids us from saying. Example of such words are; insults, lies, hopeless words, words of doubt and unbelief, words of fear, careless words, character defaming words, words of reproach, unthoughtful words. The child of God must not allow any of these to proceed from his mouth.1Pe 3:10 KJV For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

CONFESSION

Thanks to you, oh God my father, for the truth of your word. I give my heart to your word in total submission. I speak therefore the words inspired by the Spirit of God. My words bring glory to God, blesses men and promotes my life, in Jesus’ name.

FURTHER STUDIES

Jas 3:2 KJV” For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”

Psa 45:1 KJV” To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves. My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.”

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

We can easily make a sound deduction from our key scripture, the following acknowledgment.

 God has, two main purposes, for whatever He does,

1. To bring glory to himself
2.  To bring blessing to men.

God does nothing outside of these two reasons. In case the outcome seems bad to our understanding, may we never lose sight of these two important reasons. Lazarus’ death appeared as a bad event yet the Lord said, it was good He was not there. If He had been there, the tears and the persistence of the sisters could have made Him heal Him. Healing was not what He wanted His disciples to know about Him. He wanted them to know how He could raise one who was four days dead. This turn of events would bring glory to God and would also inspire their faith to believe Him, in all situations.

In Luke 2:14, the angels who appeared to the shepherd who watched their flocks by night said in. Luke 2:14 KJV” Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men”. Once again, we see Glory going to the Lord, and peace or blessing towards men. In the light of all that has been said we must always relate to God, on this acknowledgment, knowing He works all things for our good. Rom 8:28 KJV” And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” This knowledge should make us love and absolutely trust Him in everything we do.

Lastly, the above insight should determine our motive for all that we do in the name of the Lord. We must do all things first to bring glory to His name, and never to ourselves .Secondly we ought to seek consistently the blessing or goodwill towards men. This approach forms the two major commandment Jesus taught us. These are, to love the Lord with all our being and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matt 22: 37-39. This is what makes our actions acceptable unto the Lord.

CONFESSION

God is perpetually good, and I know whatever He does is for my good. I love Him with all that I am, and also love all men as i love myself.

THOUGHT: KNOWING GOD’S GOODNESS TOWARDS ME, TAKES EVERY FEAR FROM ME.

FURTHER STUDIES

1Jn 4:16 KJV “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”

1Jn 4:18 KJV” There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 11:13 KJV” Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.”

In the discourse of the Lord with His disciples, Jesus talked about Lazarus sleeping, and so He was going there to wake Him up. The disciples also answered Him that, if he is sleeping then he would wake up by himself. These two views are not the same. There is

1. The sleep of death. John 11:11b, 13a Joh 11:11b&13a KJV “….Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death:

2. There is the sleep of rest that every one of us undergoes each day. Mark 4:38 KJV And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

3. There is sleep in sin. These are acts of darkness Rom 13:12 KJV” The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”

4. Finally there is the sleep of slumber. Prov 24:33 KJV” Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:”

 Sleep as a means of resting the body is God’s provision for men to renew their strength, yet the bible cautions against sleeping in sin, sleeping through laziness, and the sleep of death which could be a tool of the evil one against men.

Every child of God should be careful not to fall into the sleep of sin. The Bible calls sin, the work of darkness. Sin is getting into a partnership with the devil to execute his program. It is associated with sleep because one in such a condition is insensitive to God.1Th 5:5 KJV “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day:’ we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” Dear child of God, wake up from every sleep of sin. In light of this, THERE IS NO NIGHT for the child of God for we are permanently in the day(righteousness). Darkness must therefore not impede your walk in Christ.

There are some who are given to laziness. They would not pray, have no time to study the bible for themselves and are generally slothful. They have allowed their flesh to dictate to them always seeking someone to pray for them, and prophesy to them. These are sleeping in slumber, and their results is lack, poverty and deception by false prophets.

No child of God must sleep in slumber for we live by the Spirit and not by the flesh. Tell your flesh, your  spirit is in charge and not it.

CONFESSION

Thank you, Father, for the truth of your word. I am continually in the Spirit and give no place to the flesh. My life keeps advancing in all I do for I am led by the spirit as I live by the word.

THOUGHT: THE CHILD OF GOD LIVES IN GOD’S DAY, AND HAS NO ‘NIGHT’.

FURTHER STUDIES

Gal 5:17 KJV “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Rom 12:1 KJV “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.