The Simple Life

Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, "What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?" Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know so that they might arrest him. John 11:55-57 (ESV)   Religious people guard their "status" regardless of the cost. Religion uses people; God loves people. Religion cost us everything; Jesus paid it all. Religion is full of self-promotion and hatred for others who challenge your position. Christianity is about God and love, even for your enemies.   Those who hated Jesus prove the need for Jesus' death and resurrection. We cannot help ourselves, and while we did not even know that, Jesus came to die for us.   Intentional ignorance fuels confusion, despair, anger, depression, and...

Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples. John 11:54 (ESV)   Is Jesus allowing people to manipulate what He does? Is God sovereign or dependent upon us? God is sovereign, is not reliant on us, and knew all this would happen before it happened. I cannot spoil God's plans. I cannot change what God does or does not do, and yes, I have a choice.   There is a tension between understanding and reality that, in some instances, cannot be resolved. My limited understanding comes from being human. God has given me a choice, and I will experience consequences from those choices, and He knows what choices I will make and has already adjusted His plan.   He can do this because He is God. I cannot understand because I am Dave. I cannot be irresponsible and blame God's sovereignty for my poor decision-making.   Jesus did what he did here for us, not...

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, "What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation." John 11:45-48 (ESV)   Perhaps the saying "Haters are going to hate" comes from this passage. So often, we live in thick-skinned bubbles that cannot pop. Those in our bubble cannot get out, and those outside stay outside. If our bubble skin is threatened, we do whatever we need to eliminate the threat. In that way we justify our anger, hatred, and cruelty.   Spiritual blindness is easy to see in others, yet difficult to recognize in ourselves. It is like cancer cells that disguise themselves in healthy cells and eventually brutally destroy all they to...

When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out." The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go." John 11:43-44 (ESV)   Some of them are blindfolded by the napkin about their head; they are very ignorant, sadly devoid of spiritual perception, and withal the eye of faith is darkened. Yet the eye is there, and Christ has opened it; and it is the business of the servant of God to remove the napkin which bandages it by teaching the truth, explaining it, and clearing up difficulties. This is a simple thing to do but exceedingly necessary. Now that they have life, we shall, teach them to purpose. Besides that, they are bound hand and foot to be compelled to inaction; we can show them how to work for Jesus. Sometimes these bands are those of sorrow; they are in an awful terror about the past; we have to unbind them by showing that...

When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out." The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go." John 11:43-44 (ESV) "The significance of this mighty deed we cannot overestimate, for it is, on the one hand, a profoundly significant symbol of Christ's redemption and, on the other, a signal testimony to His right and power to redeem. Whether we regard it as a symbol or a witness, it is equally noteworthy." (J. Laidlaw, D. D.)   Jesus is trustworthy. He acts on behalf of those He loves, and He loves me. I am awed and thankful for such wondrous love. This isn't easy to see, yet this truth never varies. I (We) can count on Him to be faithful even when we do not understand as we blur life's events through the tears.   We must rest in God, for there is no other place rest is available.      https://www.podbe...

So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me." John 11:41-42 (ESV)   Jesus did not need the stone to be rolled away; He could have done so by the word of His mouth. He did not need to wait until Lazuras' body was decaying. He could have healed him before death. He did not need to pray aloud, yet, He did.   Why did Jesus do what He did? He always acts per His love for us. Therefore, God does not need to be about Himself for the universe, and all that is created points to Him without Himself needing to point to Him.   He has no needs, so He is not trying to fulfill His needs. Instead, Jesus is always focused on what is best for us and what lessons we need to learn.   Jesus loves God in public so the world can recognize who God is, and how we live in harmony with His purposes ...

Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" John 11:40 (ESV) “Did I not tell you….?” I wonder if this is equivalent to "How many times must I tell you?" Jesus is the definition of patient, loving, and kind, and uses this questioning as a tool for learning.  I am sure that before Lazarus died, his sisters would have acknowledged that Jesus is God, did all things correctly, and was the very source of life and love.   Sometimes we struggle living in harmony with our beliefs. We say we know God, yet, at times, we demonstrate doubt. We say we trust His plan, yet, at times, we question His plan. We say we believe in eternal life, yet, at times, we fear death.   Healthy people work at knowing God and applying what they know to their lives. Knowing something and not using it is foolish. May none of us be fools.    https://www.podbean.com/relate365

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, by this time, there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days." John 11:38-39 (ESV)   Lazarus' body was placed in a cave. It was common for caves to contain several bodies although we do not know what this cave contained other than Lazarus' body, and the idea of rolling away the seal was bothersome.   I can imagine the thought of seeing and smelling the stench of death emanating from your loved one was disturbing. We know that we are all headed towards a time when our bodies will dissolve, and everything we own will disintegrate. There comes a time when living apart from God gets ugly, smelly, and useless. So, Lazarus was finished with his body and moved on to his eternal home.   I wonder if Jesus was thinking about how distorted people's view of life and death was wh...

So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?" John 11:36-37 (ESV)   There always seems to be a group we could entitle "some of them." They are those who look to criticize, blame, and demand that God perform for them so they will not suffer. The "entitled" think more of their comfort and convenience than an overall plan and purpose.   Jesus has no perspective in that He sees all things the way they are. He knew that Lazarus' death was not a tragedy, but a promotion. All those who die in Christ are better off after death.   At times, I struggle to understand this concept. It seems I am often locked into what is happening around me, my comfort and pleasure, and often miss the grand purpose of life events. I need to keep working at seeing the world through God's eyes, not mine. When I finally get there, I will stop asking why and instead...

Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus wept. John 11:32-35 (ESV)   Jesus wept. The God of all creation, the King of the universe, cried. There is no motivation given for this other than the context of this passage.   "The word (wept) is different from that used to express weeping in Joh  11:33 ; but this latter is used of our Lord in Luke 19:41. The present word means not the cry of lamentation, nor the wail of excessive grief, but the calm shedding of tears." (Archdeacon Watkins.)   Sin causes tremendous unnecessary, self-inflicted pain. But, unfortunately, people seem to love sin and endure God, rather than loving God an...

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26 (ESV)   In high school, we used to sing a song declaring that "Jesus is the answer for the world today." This was as true then as it is today and will be forever. We were not created to seek religion, power, authority, or status. Instead, we were made to seek Jesus.   Misery is cultivated by false hope. Those who place their hope in something rather than Jesus will be hopeless.   As my wife and I have been navigating cancer's ramifications, we are thankful for medical personal, medications, and medication’s technology. However, our hope is in God.   Certainly, God uses human innovation, gifts, and talents, yet ultimately, God gives and takes life. It is God who heals either on earth or in eternity. It is God who has numbered our days and is working His plan...

“But even now, I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." John 11:22 (ESV)   What do I know? Is it different than what I feel, think, or hope? If what I know is truth, stability comes when I align my feelings, thoughts, and hopes with what I know. Instability comes when I adjust what I know with my feelings, thoughts, and hopes.   Knowing that Jesus can do anything brings you peace and hope if you also know who He is. I need to rest in the fact that God loves me and has a plan for me. I do not need to understand His ways before I rest in Him.   The world always seems restless because the world, in general, ignores God. We were made to know and enjoy God, and our lack of contentment, rest, and purpose is directly correlated to His absence.     https://www.podbean.com/relate365

Martha said to Jesus, "Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died. John 11:21 (ESV)   Martha was accusing Jesus of failing them in a lovely way. She would follow this statement by declaring that she knew He could do whatever He wanted, even now after Lazarus was in the tomb for four days.   We are often Martha-like in our prayers. We know the truth, yet we like to play the game where we make God responsible for all the pain and suffering in our lives, rather than acknowledging our responsibility in the pain and suffering.   Living in a sinful world makes this life much less than it could be. Death is a result of sin, and all have sinned. Jesus came to defeat death, and He was about to prove that in a very tangible way.   Nothing has changed. Jesus can and will defeat death. Those who wait upon Him will not be disappointed.    Noth https://www.podbean.com/relate365

Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus has died, and for your sake, I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." John  11:14-15  (ESV)   Jesus is always working on something that is beyond our capacity to understand. He is continually developing His children into the people they are meant to be. He makes no mistakes, is never random, and cannot be defeated.   Fools ignore Him, the arrogant dismiss Him, and the powerful despise Him. They will have regrets.   Jesus had a plan and was working it. He would soon demonstrate His power over death to those whom He loved. One day, He will do the same for us.   https://www.podbean.com/relate365

Then after this, he said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles because the light is not in him." After saying these things, he said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him." John 11:7-11 (ESV)   Jesus had a plan and has a plan. Nobody would be able to harm Him until He allowed it. Lazarus' death and the suffering of those who loved him would be addressed.   Jesus always has a plan, and nobody will alter His plan unless He allows them. Since Jesus is in the future, His plan is never changed, and in the end, He wins.   The smartest thing we can do is remain close to Him, obedient to Him, and thereby positione...

 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. John 11:5-6 (ESV)   Jesus was up to something. He is always up to something. Jesus is never random.   Mary, Martha, and Lazarus had a great relationship with Jesus. There is no doubt Jesus could heal Lazarus, yet He chose to stay with His plan, and delay His visit to them.   To the casual observer, Jesus was not living in a way that showed He cared for His friends. Yet, God's plans are perfect, and God had a plan for Lazarus and His illness and death. Our lives are always full of surprises, yet there are no surprises to God. Our lives are full of questions, yet there are no questions that God has not already answered. We often lack understanding, yet, once again, God does not have that problem.   Those who go to Him and rest in Him will see and participate in the victory God has planned.       https://www...

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary, and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." But when Jesus heard it, he said, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." John 11:1-4 (ESV)   God is working on setting up the circumstances to help us learn about life, death, and His love. He knows what is happening to Lazarus. He is aware of the physical and emotional pain Lazarus, and his loved ones are experiencing. He knows what He is doing, even though all those involved remain clueless.   Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. God's purposes will always prove to be right in the end. His plan is flawless, His preparation is perfect, and His solutions are undeniable. He also knows what is happeni...

He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. John 10:40 (ESV)   I believe Jesus went back to the beginning because the beginning has meaning. It is easy to forget how we got to where we are. It is easy to forget the time, struggles and cost. We get so wrapped up at the moment that the journey becomes blurred and even bothersome. Yet, for some reason, Jesus went back to where it started and began laying the groundwork for the raising of Lazarus.   John did not do miracles, for he was not God. Jesus is God, and doing miracles is not miraculous for Him.   God is also the best at the setup. He is always working in the hearts and minds of those He loves to set them up for success. Therefore, it behooves us to pay attention to what He is trying to teach us today.   It would be wise for us to start at the beginning as well. In the beginning God... https://www.podbean.com/relate365

“If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." John 10:37-38 (ESV)   God works miracles in this life, and those who look for them see them every day. There are so many miracles around us that we take for granted. God tells us that He creates, forms, and plans for the child in the womb. Each sunrise and sunset is so constant that you can set your watch by them. (Oh! We do!) We eat food, and our body breaks it down, takes what it can use, filters out what might hurt us, and eliminates waste. This food somehow provides us with energy for today's tasks.   Everything that lives dies, and the death and decay of the living supports what remains alive.   The world we live in is an incredible work of God that will amaze one who takes a moment to observe. However, when we take time to be amazed by what we see,...

The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?" John 10:31-32 (ESV)   As I read the Voice of the Martyrs edition of  Foxe's Book of Martyrs , I am astonished at the suffering people faced who have done well in this life. The more they love, the more punishment they take. The more penalty they get, the more loving they are. It is incredible to see hatred displayed against the Godly. Being persecuted for doing what is right is not something new, and it is incredible how ruthless people can be.   Throughout the accounts of hundreds of Christians who suffered because of their love for God and each other, we find example after example of those who found real hope in God, and who today are living pain-free in the very presence of God.   Those who love much hurt much. Those who love little hurt much. One of these pains builds a future and hope while the other ...

“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.” Revelation 1:7 (ESV) There is and end and in the end, God wins. There will be those who rejoice in His coming and victory and those who realize the tremendous error of their thoughts and ways. Charles Spurgeon commented on this verse: “I cannot put into English the full meaning of that most expressive word. Sound it at length, and it conveys its own meaning. It is as when men wring their hands and burst out into a loud cry; or as when eastern women, in their anguish, rend their garments, and lift up their voices with the most mournful notes. All the kindreds of the earth shall wail: wail as a mother laments over her dead child; wail as a man might wail who found himself hopelessly imprisoned and doomed to die. Such will be the hopeless grief of all the kindreds of the earth at the sight of Christ in the clouds: if they r...

“Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.” Revelation 13:16-18 (ESV) At the World Government Summit in Abu Dhabi, Dr. Pippa Malmgrem, a top American economist who served as a special adviser to former President George W. Bush, made a statement…. “We are on the brink of a dramatic change where we are about to, and I’ll say this boldly, we are about to abandon the traditional system of money and accounting and introduce a new one. And the new one; the new accounting is what we call blockchain… It means digital, it means having an almost perfect record of every single transaction that happens in the economy, which will give us far greater clarity...

And I give to them life eternal. And they shall positively not perish, never. And no one will snatch them by force out of my hand. My Father, who gave them to me as a permanent gift, is greater than all. And no one is able to be snatching them by force out of the hand of my Father. I and the Father are one in essence. John 10:28-30 (Wuest)   It is Jesus who gives us eternal life, not us. Once He provides us with this gift, there is positively no way to take it back. Not only is the gift permanent, but no one is powerful enough to steal it out of His protective hand.   To add to the all-powerful, as if that is needed, Jesus tells us His Father is the giver of this gift as well, and no one can overpower Him either. Because our salvation is about God and not us, and is given to us, and guarded by the only real power in the universe, we are secure in Him.   Those who make it about their efforts have not understood God's mercy, and, perhaps, have never come to Him and accepted...