At noon today we will be halfway through Living Word's 21 day fast! I am so proud of each of you, although I know you aren't fasting for me, but to be more in tune with God's Will and Purpose for your life. Many are fasting all 21 days, some are doing every other day, some are fasting according to the guidelines in Daniel, and some are adding "water only" days to the fast. However you are doing it, THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING! This morning we called a special prayer meeting of our staff to pray over your requests again, and it was a really powerful time. God hears and answers prayer!
"Now Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.' Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.' Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, 'Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.'” John 11:21-23,32
Have you ever felt that IF Jesus had "been there", your situation would have turned out much better? IF Jesus had been at the doctor's appointment, the job interview, the parent-teacher meeting? Rest assured, IF you will continue to trust God in your situation, you will be fine, but more importantly God will get the most glory possible!
In the account we read in John 11 today, Jesus finds our that His friend Lazarus is sick, and He does nothing for two days...until Lazarus is dead! Then when Jesus finally does show up, Lazarus has been buried for four days. Lazarus' sisters Mary and Martha still love Jesus, they just wish He had shown up a little earlier.
That's the way it is with so many of us: We still "love" Jesus, we just wish He had shown up earlier! NOW look at what we have to deal with! Keep in mind, however, that had Jesus shown up earlier and healed Lazarus, which would have still been amazing, the testimony and fame and glory that God would have gotten would have been minuscule compared to raising him from the dead!
What is it that God has NOT done in your life yet? Keep standing to the end. The VERY end. And the VERY end is not when WE'RE finished....the VERY END is when GOD'S finished!
Powerful, very powerful! Thanks Pastor!
Posted by: Lourdes Morales | January 26, 2012 at 11:44 AM
Preach Brother!
Posted by: Kim Parrott | January 28, 2012 at 05:37 AM
That was amazing, Pastor Steve!! So good!
Posted by: Charity | January 30, 2012 at 02:31 PM