Believe, Trust, Accept, Receive

Bro Tommy Wood brought the message.

Micah 7:5 “Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.6 For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.7 Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.”

Sometimes we wait on friends and they don’t show up. The Lord always shows up. He knew Peter would deny him and Judas would betray him. I have to look at myself and ask “am I where I should be with the Lord?” This world is the only hell I plan on living in. I have pain and sorrows. We all do, but we know we have a better place ahead of us. In this short time we have here, why can’t we be what God wants?

John 11:17 “Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. 18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: 19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.”

I’ve done some funerals, and was blessed because they left a testimony that they knew the Lord. At the death of Lazarus, Jesus waited to go to his family.  Then he brought him back to life. Sometimes we pray as Mary and Martha did. They wanted it and wanted it now. When God makes us wait, we can see why he did it that way. Imagine if we knew Jesus was coming in the morning. How different would we be tonight? We do know it’s possible. Martha always prepared for the Lord’s visits. She knew the Lord was coming to them after the death of her brother. When she saw he was coming, she went out to him. Mary stayed in the house. Are we like Mary? We sit back and do nothing for the Lord.

Jesus knew Lazarus. He’d met him before. He told Martha he would rise again. In verse 25 he said “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”  What a life we look forward to!  Verse 26 says “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? If I don’t believe all of it, I don’t believe any of it. Jesus left his kingdom and came here as a baby.  Why?  To show us there is a way to wake it to the other side. Jesus was tempted by the devil just as we are. He used the scripture to conquer Satan.  We must trust in him.

Jesus didn’t have to be beaten as much as he was. The Romans wanted to show the world something. If we don’t belong to Jesus, we belong to the devil and this world. He died for us. He died for Lazarus.  Verse 44 says “And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.” When Jesus got me, he said loose him and let him go. I lost the chains of sin.

Most of us know verse 35. “Jesus wept.” It was not for Lazarus; he was in the presence of God. He wept for us. Luke chapter 19 says “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it.” We are that city. All we have to do is believe, trust, accept and receive. Martha did. Why can’t we come on to him?  We will have stones in our lives. Jesus can roll them away. He can make gravel out of them. Sometimes we think we can handle the little gravel, but they are the things that get us. Let God guide and direct us. Just like he raised Lazarus, he will raise us. Trust him and let him do the rest.

We have a hollow heart that can only be filled by Jesus. When we open it, we believe, trust, accept and receive the joy of the Lord. It is our strength.  He watches over us. When you got saved, you did exactly what Lazarus did. You came forth.

Be fair to your family. Think about Lazarus this week. Let Jesus call you by name. He called for Lazarus.  Come forth if you need to. He has a plan for you.