Believe and see the Glory of God!
Illus. Waiting for you, By sermon central.
A family was out vacationing at the lake one summer. Dad had been puttering out by the boat house. Two of his sons, a 12-year old and a 3-year old were down playing along the dock. The 12 year old was supposed to be watching his little brother, but he got distracted. The 3 year old, little Billy, thought that would be a good time to check out the shiny aluminum fishing boat tied up at the end of the dock. So he went to the dock and put one foot on the boat, and one foot on the dock. He lost his balance and fell into the water, which was about 5 or 6 ft deep.
The splash alerted the 12-yr old who let out a piercing scream. Dad came running from the boat house, jumped into the water, swam down, but unable to see anything, came up for air. Sick with panic, he went right back down into this murky water, and began to feel everywhere around the bottom. He couldn’t feel anything. Finally, on his way up, he felt little Billy's arms locked in a death grip on one of the posts of the dock, about 4 ft under water. Prying the boy's fingers loose, they burst up together thru the surface to fill their lungs with life giving air.
Finally when the adrenaline had stopped surging, and nerves had calmed down a little bit, the Father asked his son, “What on earth were you doing down there hanging onto the post so far under the water? And little Billy’s answer was a classic, laced with the wisdom only a toddler could give. He said, "I was just waiting for you dad. Just waiting for you."
John 11:40-44 MSG
40 Jesus looked her in the eye. “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
41-42 Then, to the others, “Go ahead, take away the stone.”
They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, “Father, I’m grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I’ve spoken so that they might believe that you sent me.”
43-44 Then he shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face.
Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him loose.”
Just a guess and purely conjecture, but I imagine if Jesus would've ask Lazarus what he had been doing, he would've have said waiting for you Lord, just waiting for you!
When we are in search of a miracle, who's glory are we seeking our miracle for? Ourselves, or the ones we're praying for?
When we receive the miracle, we are definitely the beneficiary aren't we? Wether we're the ones praying or receiving, we are the beneficiaries! But after the mountains been pushed into the sea and disappears, what happens to the glory?
Jesus could have easily spoken the miracle into existence and received all the glory, but He chose instead to glorify His Father! All the glory for everything good that is done for us and on our behalf, belongs to God and no one else!
Jesus said in Matthew 19:26, Mark 10:27 and Luke 18:27 said exact same thing, so it was something He definitely wanted all of us to know!
TBS Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
The same God,
*who parted the Red Sea,
*rained manna from heaven,
*caused the walls of Jericho to fall, with a trumpet and a shout,
*healed the sick, by the thousands
*raised the dead on many occasions,
*caused not one hair on the head of Shadrach, Meshack and Abindego to be singed even though the ones who threw them into the fiery furnace were consumed by the flames!
*who still performs miracles today, on a regular basis if you can and will believe!!
TBS(the Bible says) and we have established God is a miracle working God!
TBS also that His words are true and are not subject to change!
Matthew 24:32-35 MSG
32-35 “Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer’s just around the corner. So it is with you: When you see all these things, you’ll know he’s at the door. Don’t take this lightly. I’m not just saying this for some future generation, but for all of you. ( this is good, I want you to say this is for me )This age continues until all these things take place. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.
Gods word remains true till the end and does not change! So what Gods word declares for you, you can surely have and are entitled to receive RIGHT??
Then why do some Christians doubt that God wants to work a miracle for them today.
They believe that there are miracles performed today, but that they are not for them.
Whatever there reasoning is, its based on a lie, from the father of all lies! And as long as someone
believes the lie, it stands between them and the Glory of God!
We read earlier...Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?
They may say they not worthy. If you’re a Christian, Jesus makes you worthy, He is your worthiness!
The devil is clever and there are many spins to his lie. But Whatever they can come up with, as to why Healing is not for them, is in no way a match for the cross and the finished work of Our Lord and Savior Jesus!
Whatever they think it is that unqualifies them, Jesus has already prequalified them in advance,
In fact He over qualified them and still to this day continues to over qualify all of us!
All we have to do is let what He already did, take care of what we have already been set free from.
Oh there are a lot of Christians that talk a good game and we have all been guilty of it! They come to church regularly, know their bible pretty good, hear the word and say all the right things Christians are suppose to say,
Its like they go to a great feast, have the finest table spread and a seven course meal of all meals set before them,
They see it right there in front of them, they can even almost smell the aroma from it, but they never partake of the meal!
They go away empty handed every time, They don’t even ask for a doggie bag for later, in case they change their mind.
Oh they talk about how everything will be perfect one day in the sweet by and by.
"When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be," and it will be, but we don’t have to wait
until we get to Heaven to experience the goodness and the unmerited favor of God.
God wants us to know that He is still the God of miracles today. This is the way God wants you who belong
to Christ Jesus to live. He doesn't want you living the way the world lives, which is in fear!
If your living and constantly worried about what’s happening, or not happening in your life,
Because you think its something that you can control yourself, I’ve got news for you and its not good!
As long as you make about what you are capable of on your own!
You never will experience all that God has for you!
You see, no one has a hard time praising God, no matter what’s happening, as long as they like, what it is that’s happening to them. That's not where the Glory of God is going to be found!
Its found, when your able to praise and thank Him in the midst of the storm and thank God no matter what happens, or what the outcome is! That’s where it's found and that’s the way, God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
Because He knows when you live there, when your in relationship with His Son Jesus, your in the safety zone under His umbrella of protection!
And no matter what comes your way, your not going to budge, your not going to be dissuaded,
you will trust Him that He will take care of it, regardless of what it is!
That means, no matter what you are facing today, no matter what’s going on in the world around you,
*no matter what anybody says, friends or foes
*no matter what the media says,
*no matter what the economic advisors say,
*no matter your doctor is saying,
*no matter what your family is saying,
you should always be thanking and praising God, because the victory has already be won and
the blood of Jesus has already made us victorious over every situation!
Jerm. 17:7-8 NKJ
7. “ Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
And whose hope is the LORD.
8. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
I shall not be, I shall not be moved
I shall not be, I shall not be moved
Just like a tree that’s planted by the water’s, I shall not be moved!
Christians have been singing about the answers, that their in need of for years and years,
And at some point, one has to ask themselves, do I really believe what I have heard and sang about for years and years?
Or is it just words on a piece of paper?
Will you always feel like singing a praise song to God? When you get the news and the challenge you are sitting there facing, is like a mountain parked on your front door step. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you're probably not gonna feel like singing, but what I'm going to tell you to do is sing anyways.
Sing the praises of God louder than you ever have before! Sing them out in confidence, knowing that Philippians 1:6 was written just for you, with one reason in mind. So you could be an OVERCOMER!! Amen? Amen??
TBS. Phil. 1:6 HCSB
I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
I don’t know about you, but there is great comfort to be found in that word, that’s a word that you can stand on:
*when the going gets tough
*when trouble is knocking relentlessly on your door
*when everyone around you says your facing an impossible situation
*when you’ve done all you know to do and don’t know what to do kind of word!
If you will believe, God will keep working in your life until there’s nothing more to do and He has completed His work in you.
TBS He will not leave you, or forsake you, you are not just a stepchild in the family, you have been adopted,
you have become an heir, you are a child of the Most High God, you have the right to call Him, Daddy.
He will stick by you through thick or thin. He will never leave you, He will sustain you and keep you.
TBS. also and I’m so glad it does, that we are healed by Gods grace.
Isaiah 53:5 NKJ
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
Psalms 147:3 NKJ
“He(God) heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.”
Only God can take what’s crooked and make it straight, what’s wrong and make it right.
He can take the scattered pieces of life’s puzzle, when it makes no sense at all and put them back together. He is Amazing
God is in the healing business and He heals us by His grace, He loves to say “ I Will.”
What does God love to say? I will...and He will remember, "with man nothing is possible, but with God all things are possible!"
Speak to your mountain, don’t spend all your time trying to run around it, proclaim the word of God over it and He will make it go around you instead!
Mark 11:21-25 MSG.
22-25. Jesus was matter-of-fact: "Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, 'Go jump in the lake'—no shuffling or shilly-shallying—and it's as good as done. That's why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you'll get God's everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it's not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins."
Did you know there is healing to be found for you, in the forgiveness of others?
When you finally and truly realize, what this is talking about, that is available to all of us who have accepted Jesus and the Grace message He gave us. It is a life changing, game changing, turn your world upside down, inside out experience!
The same power and Glory that brought down the walls of the heavily fortified city of Jericho with the blast of a trumpet and a shout, you have access to. Praise God!
*The same power that parted the red sea, *that fed the 5k,
*that healed the woman with the issue of blood,
*that helped bring down Goliath,
*that created the entire universe, with only spoken words!
You have access to that power!! Praise God!! Your relationship with Jesus is what gives you access
to the Power and Glory of God! If that, DON’T MAKE YOU WANT TO SHOUT, then nothing ever will.
So many Christians never really realize how they can put the Word of God to work in their lives,
You can reign over every situation and obstacle in your life, instead of being held prisoner by them!!
Life and death are in the power of the tongue, with God’s help and He wants you to know, that you are in charge of your circumstances!
Your circumstances are not in charge of you, you can take authority over your
mountains and make elevated unlimited opportunities out of them, every time you
See one of them coming down the road!! Amen?
Start speaking God’s word to your situations and to the ones around you. Your family, your friends
and the ones you see happening in your everyday travels, who need someone to speak life changing
words into their situation.
Quit telling the accuser everything that’s wrong in your life and start proclaiming everything that’s right instead!
If Jesus is...the Lord of your life, He's the greatest thing that's right in your life and the one thing that will help you continually overcome everything that's wrong, that will ever try to come into your life!
If you don't know Jesus today in your life, you can. It's easy just repeat these words.
Jesus forgive me, come into my life, I believe you died for me and that you rose again from the grave for me!
If your relationships not were it should be today, it can be. Jesus will meet you right we're you are and warmly embrace and walk hand in hand with you all along the way, from now till eternity!
If you have need of a miracle today, believe and see the Glory of God work in your life!
All things are possible to him that believes! Amen?
Let's pray!
