Jesus Raises His Friend Lazarus from the Dead, Part 17 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 170)

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TEXT: John 11:47-52

47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

———-

Today, I am continuing the daily Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign sermon series, which is aimed at sharing the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with unbelievers and reminding Christians, in this important election year, to keep the main thing the main thing — and that is reaching unbelievers with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and praying for their salvation, for the problem in America is not only disobedient presidents, politicians, and people, but disobedient pastors, preachers, and parishioners who have refused to obey the Lord’s Great Commission which is to, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” and who have refused to obey God’s repeated commands to “pray without ceasing” for unbelievers, believers, and political leaders. Yes, you should pray for the right candidate to win; yes, you should vote for the candidate that the Lord gives you peace about voting for. But, don’t get caught up in it like the world does. Nothing much is going to change until people get saved and get their hearts right with the Lord.

This campaign is inspired by the following three verses: 1 Corinthians 2:2 which says, “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Acts 5:42 which says, “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” And 2 Timothy 2:4 which says, “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”

This series is not for Christians necessarily. However, I do hope you are one of those saints who still loves to hear the “Old, old story of Jesus and His love” — As another hymn says, “For those who know it best Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.” This series is primarily for unbelievers, so they can hear and understand the Gospel and be saved from sin and the punishment of sin which is hell. This is message number 170.

R.C. Sproul said, “There are only two ways that God’s justice can be satisfied with respect to your sin. Either you satisfy it or Christ satisfies it. You can satisfy it by being banished from God’s presence forever. Or you can accept the satisfaction that Jesus Christ has made.”

In our last message, we saw how the Jewish religious leaders raised the question of what, exactly, they planned to do about Jesus, beginning by asking a rather awkward question. They believed that, for the sake of the status quo, they had to do something to stop Jesus’ influence from growing.

Apparently, the only thing the Sanhedrin could agree on was that they did not want to antagonize the Romans. They wanted to stop Jesus before people began to organize a political movement around Him that would have caused the Romans to step in and crack down on the freedoms that they had allowed the Jews. While they were resolved on that point, they still hadn’t decided on what, exactly, they wanted to do with Jesus.

Fortunately for them, the high priest, Caiaphas, came up with a plan. His proposal was essentially to let Jesus continue on His course, which would eventually draw the attention of the Romans, which would, he hoped, lead the Romans to put Jesus to death of their own will. In his words, “It is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.”

Caiaphas did not know the full weight of what He was saying. John informs us that he was unknowingly delivering a prophecy which stated the entire reason why Jesus Christ had come into the world. “He prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.”

Caiaphas was only thinking of the Jews when he made his declaration. He thought that Jesus’ death would be the means of securing the future of the Jewish people in that day and time. Little did he know, Jesus had come to save the Jews — but not from the wrath of the Roman Empire. Jesus had come to save the Jews from their sins, and from the punishment of sin which is hell.

But Jesus had not only come to save the Jews. He came to “gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.” Gentiles, Romans, Greeks, pagans, and heathens — from every group of people on Earth — there would be those who believed on Jesus. Jesus had come to die for them too — even those who were so far away from Palestine that they had not heard of Jesus yet. It was expedient, not only that one man should die for the Jews, but that one man should die for the whole world. Just as one man — Adam — put the whole world under the curse of sin.

The Jews may have plotted and the Romans may have drove the nails, but it was God who had made this great plan — to sacrifice one man — Jesus — that the whole world would perish not. Jesus’ birth, death, burial, and resurrection was a gift to the world — a gift of the grace, mercy, and love of God.

All the world has an opportunity to be a part of God’s family — to become one of God’s children. Jesus paid a price that you do not have to pay. Will you accept His gift today?

John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The Bible also says in Romans 10:9 and 13: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved…. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and I want to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior today, please e-mail me at dw3@gospellightsociety.com and let us know. There is some free material that we want to send you. If you have a prayer request, please e-mail that to us as well, and we will pray for you until you tell us to stop.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

Jesus Raises His Friend Lazarus from the Dead, Part 16 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 169)

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TEXT: John 11:45-50

45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

———-

William Nicholson said, “Self-sufficiency is the enemy of salvation. If you are self-sufficient, you have no need of God. If you have no need of God, you do not seek Him. If you do not seek Him, you will not find Him.”

In the immediate aftermath of Jesus’ raising of Lazarus from the dead, we see the same reaction from the Jews who were gathered there at Bethany as we have seen from the masses throughout John’s Gospel. “Many” who had come to mourn with Mary and Martha saw what Jesus had done and believed on Him. However, some who had come to Bethany with the express purpose of spying on Jesus were unmoved, and returned to Jerusalem to report back to the religious establishment. By now, we see that this is a theme running throughout Jesus’ ministry. Even though He only spoke the truth and did good works, He always received a divided response from the masses — some grew more confident in their belief, while others grew more vehement in their disbelief.

The latest good work by Jesus — raising a man from the dead — is apparently of great concern to the religious leaders because they feel the need to call a council to discuss the matter. The question they ask is: “What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.”

What is interesting about this little pow-wow is what is left unsaid. The Jewish religious leaders are now not so concerned with the question of whether Jesus is the Messiah or the Son of God. What can they say? They just had multiple eyewitnesses report to them that Jesus of Nazareth raised a man from the dead. They couldn’t argue with that. So their focus turns from figuring out who Jesus is to what they can do to shut Jesus down.

The religious leaders believe that if Jesus is ‘left alone’ eventually everyone would end up believing on Him. Their opposition to this outcome really shows where their heart is. They no longer oppose Jesus because of theological concerns or moral differences. They simply want to hold on to the influence and power that has been afforded them by the Roman government. Their chief concern is that the ‘Romans might come and take away both our place and nation.’

At that time, the Romans had allowed the Jews some autonomy to carry on their affairs without interference from the government. ‘Our place’ is a reference to the Temple. It is sad that the religious leaders thought of it as belonging to them, instead of belonging to God (a fact Jesus had to remind them of at least twice during His ministry). The Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious congress, should have been celebrating the fact that the long-awaited Messiah had come. They should have been Jesus’ biggest cheerleaders. Instead, they were only concerned that their status and influence were being threatened because of Jesus’ words and deeds.

When we are confronted with the person of Jesus Christ, more likely than not, He will threaten our way of life. His mere presence will cause us to see things in a different light. We will find that much of what we thought was right and straight and good is wrong, crooked, and evil. Only when light comes can you realize how dark a situation really is. The question we must answer, the choice we must make, is whether or not we will resist the salvation and life-change that Jesus offers in favor of the status quo?

That is a question you will have to answer for yourself sooner or later. I urge you to make a decision for Christ, no matter what it means you have to leave behind. Here is how you can do that today.

1. Accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:20: “For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Romans 3:23 reads: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

2. Accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

3. Accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” The Bible says in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

4. Accept the fact that you cannot do anything to save yourself! The Bible states in Ephesians 2: 8, 9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

5. Accept the fact that God loves you more than you love yourself, and that He wants to save you from hell. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

6. With these facts in mind, please repent of your sins, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and pray and ask Him to come into your heart and save you this very moment. The Bible states in the book of Romans 10:9, 13: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Dear friend, if you are willing to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, please pray with me this simple prayer: Heavenly Father, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. For Jesus Christ’s sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

Jesus Raises His Friend Lazarus from the Dead, Part 14 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 167)

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TEXT: John 11:38-42

38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

———-

A.C. Dixon said, “When we have accepted Jesus Christ, we have become akin to the Father; having become real children of God, we then have the spirit of sonship by which we can come into His presence and make known our wants in a familiar way.”

Jesus is at Lazarus’ tomb. The stone has been rolled away. Martha, Mary, and the other Jews who have gathered to mourn with them are waiting for what Jesus will do next. The Bible says that “Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.”

Why did Jesus stop and pray at this point? We must remember that this episode takes place in the larger storyline of Jesus’ situation with the Jews over who He is and why they should believe in Him. Jesus has said repeatedly that He is sent from God. Many did not believe Him and raised objections to this idea. Some accused Him of blasphemy and tried to stone Him.

So, here Jesus is with a rapt audience. His whole purpose in coming to Earth and spending three years preaching, teaching, and working miracles is so that He could get men to believe — not just to believe in Him, but to believe in Him as the Way to God. Many of them are willing to believe on Him as a Great Teacher, a Rabbi, a Miracle-Worker, or even the Messiah. Jesus wants them to understand that He is all those things, but much more. Hence the prayer: Jesus is pointedly reminding the audience of His connection to the Father. John Piper said Jesus prayed “so that all can see he is one with the Father.”

Jesus thanks God for always hearing His prayers. God the Father always heard the prayers and requests of His Son because they were always in sync, in perfect harmony. Unlike us and the people around Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus never stepped outside of the will of God, so there was no daylight between Him and the Father. They were always perfectly one.

Those who are ‘dead in their trespasses and sins’ are not at peace with God, so they cannot have all their prayers answered as Jesus’ were. Even those who are saved sometimes step out of the will of God, and God will not hear their prayers either.

Jesus’ prayer is meant to contrast His relationship with God as opposed to our relationship with God. Jesus means to show His immediate audience (and us) that we can share in His union with God if we believe on Him. That is why He said, “I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.”

God sent Jesus to close the gap between us and Himself. There is no other way that this gap can be closed and that man and God can be, as one writer put it, “happy together again.” Jesus is the bridge, the door, between us and God. We must go to Him and through Him in order to be saved and to have eternal life. Here is how you can do that today.

First, please understand that you are a sinner and that you have broken God’s laws. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Please understand that because of your sins, you deserve punishment in hell. Romans 6:23 says “the wages of sin is death…” This is both physical death and spiritual death in hell.

But here is the good news. John 3:16 reads, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The phrase “For God so loved the world” means that if you are in this world, God loves you no matter what you have done.

The next phrase, “that He gave His only begotten Son” refers to Jesus Christ. He is God’s son who suffered, bled, and died on the cross for your sins and for mine, and He was buried and rose again.

Our next phrase is “that whosoever believeth in Him”. The word “whosoever” means anybody at anytime. The phrase “believeth in Him” means to trust in Him, to depend upon Him, to rely on Him, or to have faith in Him for your salvation.

Our next phrase, “should not perish”, refers to eternal punishment in a place called hell.

And, lastly, the phrase “but have everlasting life” means to live eternally in Heaven with God.

Dear friend, if you are willing to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, please pray with me this simple prayer: Heavenly Father, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

Jesus Raises His Friend Lazarus from the Dead, Part 13 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 166)

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TEXT: John 11:38-42

38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

———-

A.W. Pink said, “Daily living by faith in Christ is what makes the difference between the sickly and the healthy Christian, between the defeated and the victorious saint.”

One of the things we notice about Jesus in this story of Lazarus’ sickness and death is that, at no point, do we find Jesus rushing or in a hurry. For most of us, if we tell someone that their friend or family member is sick and near death, we would expect them to rush to the side of the ailing individual. But, not so, with Jesus.

After receiving Mary and Martha’s message, Jesus tarried where he was for three days. On the third day (or the morning of the fourth day), He walked to Bethany. He met Martha and some of the grieving community outside of the town. Then, He met Mary also outside of the town. Finally, He came to the place where Lazarus was buried, and it appears as though He stood at a distance from the tomb observing all the mourners who were present and was moved Himself.

Now, at last, He comes to stand in front of the tomb — a cave, with a stone rolled against the opening — and He gives a most unusual command. “Jesus said, Take ye away the stone.” Most normal people, under ordinary circumstances, no matter how much we miss the person who has died, do not think of going to dig up their grave. The Jews, in particular, would not have wanted to come in contact with a dead body because that would have made them ceremonially unclean. Martha expresses her confusion at Jesus’ request, saying, “Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.”

Jesus says, “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” His response is basically, ‘Martha, I know what I’m doing. Just trust Me.’ So, the people took away the stone from Lazarus’ grave. Some scholars have stated that the Jews relented to Jesus’ request because they thought that since He hadn’t been there when Lazarus had died, Jesus wanted to see the face of His friend one last time. Little did they know, Jesus had no plans on going into the tomb, rather He was going to call Lazarus out of the tomb.

By having Martha and the people to remove the stone, Jesus got them to participate in an act of faith. Lazarus, a dead man, was wrapped in linen and had a white cloth folded around his face. When he was resurrected, he would barely be able to walk, much less move a huge stone from the front of his own tomb.

By having the stone moved, Jesus was clearing the path for a miracle to take place. Of course, Jesus could have commanded the stone to move from its place, but I believe Jesus wanted Martha and others who were there who had faith in Him to take their faith and put it into practice. It is one thing to say, as Martha said, ‘Lord, I believe. Lord, I trust You.’ But it is another thing to actually act on that belief. Jesus had already received Martha’s profession of faith, now He called on her to act in faith believing.

Moving the stone did not make sense to Martha or to anyone else who was present at the time. Only Jesus knew what was going to happen next. But that is what it means to have faith: you don’t have to know or understand everything; you just have to believe and obey. That is the message I want to leave you with today. If you have believed on Jesus, you need to begin obeying Him. If you have not yet believed, I encourage you to believe as Martha did. Here is how you can do that right now.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

Jesus Raises His Friend Lazarus from the Dead, Part 12 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 165)

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TEXT: John 11:33-38

33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.

34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

———-

Clovis G. Chappell said, “How glorious it is that, when we resist God’s purpose and all but wreck ourselves, He will make us again. Truly, we would be a hopeless race but for the fact that we have a mighty God who is able to remake us even when we have rebelled against Him and have thwarted His blessed plans for us.”

As Jesus was quietly weeping at the tomb of Lazarus, we are informed that the Jews marveled at His love for His friend. They declared, “Behold how he loved him!” Yet, there were some among the crowd that saw fit to question Jesus’ abilities. We cannot hear their tone of voice, and the text does not tell us what they meant by this question, but here is what they said: “Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?”

This question might have been uttered in mockery. Surely, there were some of those Jews present who had opposed Jesus in Jerusalem. They were not there to sincerely mourn, they were there to observe Jesus and report back to the religious establishment in Jerusalem. They would have wanted to use this incident as a way to get people to doubt that Jesus was who He said He was.

But others who were present may have meant this inquiry as a statement of wonder. They are sincere in their sorrow and sympathy, expressing sadness at the thought that, at this point, even Jesus could do nothing for Lazarus. They, like Mary and Martha, thought that if Jesus had simply been there during Lazarus’ illness, Lazarus would not have died.

The question that must be going through the minds of these mourners is whether Jesus COULD NOT heal Lazarus or whether Jesus CHOSE NOT to heal Lazarus. Of course, we know that the answer is the latter. Jesus could have healed Lazarus, but He chose not to because He was working out God’s plan. God wanted Lazarus to be raised from the dead, which would be infinitely more compelling than a miraculous recovery of his health. A man raised from the dead was something these people had never seen before. Paul said, “The Jews seek after a sign…” Jesus was giving them a sign. It is as if He was saying, ‘Here’s a man I raised from the dead. Do you believe me now?’

We all have faced such circumstances in our lives where we wonder why God did not work something out a certain way. We know that He COULD have, but for some reason, He didn’t. The encouragement we receive from Lazarus’ story is that we need to be patient and have faith in God. God may have a bigger plan in store.

Recently, I was talking to a mechanic who is also a pastor. He told me of one customer, a single mother, who had a car that broke down. She was living on a tight budget and desperately needed her vehicle to take her kids to school and to get to work. She could not miss a day of work and still make ends meet. On top of that, she had no idea how she would pay for the repairs on her car. One morning, she got her kids to school and then took her car to the shop. The plan was for her to drop off her car and have her sister to come by and pick her up from the shop and take her to her job.

Well, after this single mother dropped off her vehicle, her sister didn’t show up. So, she was sitting in the mechanic’s waiting room getting upset over the lost hours at work and the cut that her paycheck would take. Meanwhile, another customer came into the shop, and after he got his business taken care of, he told the shop owner out of the blue that he would pay for the repairs on the woman’s car.

When the woman heard this good news, she broke down and cried. She asked God to forgive her because while she had been fuming over her sister not being on time to pick her up, God had been working things out so that her car repairs, which she did not have the money to cover, would be paid for without any extra cost to her.

That is how God works sometimes. He may not do what you want Him to do simply because He is planning something that is much better than you could ever think to ask for.

Salvation is that way for us. The human race has tried and failed in its attempts to reconnect with God. We have tried to keep the law; we have tried religious rituals and observances; we have tried meditation and other spiritual-sounding practices; we have tried to do good works; we have even tried sacrifices of animals and some have tried sacrifices of people. But none of that is satisfactory to God. So, God did the unimaginable — He took it upon Himself to come down — to send Himself in human form as Jesus Christ so that He could pay a price that we could not pay. That is how salvation become possible. Now, all we have to do is place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Are you ready to believe in Him right now?

John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

Jesus Raises His Friend Lazarus from the Dead, Part 11 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 164)

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TEXT: John 11:32-36

32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.

34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

———-

John Calvin said, “Christ does not come to the sepulcher as an idle spectator, but like a wrestler preparing for the contest. Therefore no wonder that He groans again, for the violent tyranny of death which He had to overcome stands before His eyes.”

In our last message, we saw that Jesus was troubled by how death had such a hold on the lives of the people who had turned out to mourn for Lazarus. The Bible says He groaned in His spirit. He had come to bring resurrection and life into a dead situation, yet He could not help but be angered by how sin had devastated mankind. Jesus, more than anyone else who has ever lived, knew that this was not how it was supposed to be.

Jesus asks the people to take Him to the place where they have laid Lazarus. And, when He arrives at the tomb, we see another display of deep emotion from the Savior of the world. The Bible says, “Jesus wept.”

Many people have wept in the Bible, but the word used to describe Jesus’ weeping is only used here. It denotes a quiet sobbing. Henry Morris said, “Jesus did not wail loudly but He was deeply grieved.” Jesus was moved to tears for His friend Lazarus who had to experience death. He was moved to tears because Mary, Martha, and their friends and neighbors had to suffer through the grieving process. Jesus loved these people and did not like seeing them in pain.

Many people view God as austere, stern, and unemotional. But that is not how the Bible presents God to us. God feels our pain, our grief, our despair. He sent Jesus as a Man in order to show us how He really is. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. God with us in our joys and pleasures, but God with us in our sorrow and mourning as well. As tears ran quietly down Jesus’ face, the Bible tells us that the Jews said, “Behold how he loved him!”

If anyone ever doubted God’s love for us, their doubts are removed in the face of Jesus’ sorrow for His friend. Jesus loved Lazarus and Jesus loves you. Are you grieving? Jesus is grieving too. Are you in pain? Jesus feels that pain. Are you feeling depressed? Jesus knows the depths of your despair. He knows how you feel, and He hates to see you in the midst of a dead situation. That is why He came — to bring resurrection and life into your circumstances. Not only can He undo physical death, but He can bring life to those who are spiritually dead, bound to their sins, and on their way to eternal punishment in Hell, which the Bible calls “the second death.” That is a death you definitely want to avoid.

Resurrection and life can be yours today if you choose to place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Are you ready to believe in Him right now? Here is how:

2. Accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Dear friend, if you are willing to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, please pray with me this simple prayer: Heavenly Father, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

Jesus Raises His Friend Lazarus from the Dead, Part 10 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 163)

JJMessage

TEXT: John 11:25-33

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.

———-

David Guzik said, “Jesus wasn’t so much sad at the scene surrounding the tomb of Lazarus. It’s more accurate to say that Jesus was angry. Jesus was angry and troubled at the destruction and power of the great enemy of humanity — death. Jesus would soon break the dominating power of death.”

We saw in our last message that, after Martha had finished talking to Jesus, she went to get Mary and told her that Jesus was calling for her. The Bible tells us that she told her “secretly,” so when Mary rushed out of her house, her neighbors mistakenly thought she was going to the grave to mourn for Lazarus again. But, Mary went directly to Jesus, fell down at His feet, and said almost the exact same words as Martha had said: “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”

Martha had previously confessed that she believed Jesus was the Son of God and the Messiah. Now, Mary falls down at His feet and treats Him as such. Unlike other servants of God in the Bible, Jesus never stopped people from worshipping Him. He allowed it because He is God. Mary’s actions also show us that even though she, Martha, and Lazarus were considered Jesus’ “friends,” they each had the proper respect for Jesus as God. Martha called Him “Master” and Mary called Him “Lord.” They both believed that Jesus’ presence at the time of Lazarus’ illness would have ensured his recovery. Neither could fathom that God had a more powerful outcome planned.

Although Jesus knew fully what He would do, He could not help but be moved by the grief of His friends and their neighbors. The Bible reads, “When Jesus therefore saw Mary weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.”

Jesus’ reaction to the weeping and mourning going on about Him is interesting. Up until this point, Jesus has shown no emotion about Lazarus’ death — not even when talking to Mary and Martha. But, now we see that He is moved by human grief.

The Bible says, “He groaned in his spirit.” The Greek word that John uses here is normally used in Greek literature to indicate the angry snorting of a horse. This was a visceral, gut reaction with Jesus. He was not trying to grieve for the sake of the crowd. Henry Morris said this verb ‘groan’ “signifies a loud inarticulate noise, and its proper use appears to be for the snorting of horses. When used of men it usually denotes anger.” William Barclay adds, “It must mean that such deep emotion seized Jesus that an involuntary groan was wrung from his heart.”

Then we are told that Jesus was “troubled.” This word means “to cause one inward commotion, to take away calmness of mind, to disquiet, to make restless, to render anxious or distressed.” What would cause such torment in the heart of the Prince of Peace? I don’t believe Jesus was necessarily angered by Lazarus’ death. He knew what He was going to do about that. What troubled Jesus so much was the evidence of the grip of death that was being demonstrated by those around Him. Death, of course, is a result of sin entering the world. Jesus was angered by the effect that sin and death had on humanity. He grieved for the human race which lives with the reality of death, sickness, and suffering even though that is not what God intended.

God sent Jesus so that we would not have to live with the reality of death forever. It was never a part of God’s plan. Satan and sin brought it on us, and although we are often willing participants in our own destruction, God is angered by the effects of sin and death on the human race. When Jesus came, He declared, ‘I am the Resurrection and the Life.’ ‘I undo, negate, eradicate, and nullify Death!’ ‘He who lives and believes in Me will never die.’

Eternal life can be yours today if you choose to place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Are you ready to believe in Him right now? Here is how:

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

Jesus Raises His Friend Lazarus from the Dead, Part 9 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 162)

JJMessage

TEXT: John 11:21-29

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.

24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

———-

Antony Farindon said, “Talk what we will of faith, if we do not trust and rely upon Him, we do not believe in Him.”

Today, as we continue looking at the story of Lazarus’ death and resurrection, we again see Martha making a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Martha is in a very difficult place in this passage. Her brother has died from an illness that Jesus was not there to heal. He has been buried and in the grave for four days, so, in her mind, all hope of resurrection is gone. Yet, Jesus is here telling her that her brother is alive because he believed in Jesus and that He will raise him from the dead.

Martha can’t see where Jesus is coming from. It looks like a very clear-cut situation — Lazarus is dead and it’s too late for him to come back. Yet, where many people might lose heart and stop believing in God, we find that Martha is bolder than ever in her faith in Jesus Christ. She does not understand all that Jesus is saying about Himself being the Resurrection and the Life, but she has chosen to believe it. She chooses to take His word for it.

Martha’s response is, “Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” Now, Martha by nature is a worrier. She is a person who likes to have things under control. You might recall from the account in Luke chapter 10 that, on an earlier occasion when Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha, Martha was the one who was bustling about trying to get things prepared for Jesus and His disciples. She wanted to make sure the meal was ready and the guest rooms were fixed up before Jesus arrived. And, you get the sense that she was a little bit frustrated that all of this had not been done by the time Jesus showed up. Mary, on the other hand, was sitting calmly with Jesus listening to Him teach. When Martha came and asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her serve, Jesus very lovingly said, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things…”

One hymn describes the attitude of the two women as follows:

Faithful to my Lord’s commands,
I still would choose the better part,
serve with careful Martha’s hands,
and loving Mary’s heart.

In our passage for today, I believe we see some of the results of Jesus’ gentle rebuke of Martha. All throughout this episode of Lazarus’ sickness and death, Martha had chosen to leave things in Jesus’ hands. When she and Mary sent the message to Jesus, they did not ask Jesus to do anything specific. They just informed Him of the situation and left it up to Him as to what He would do. When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, Martha, again, did not ask Jesus to do anything. She just said, “I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.”

And now we see that, even after Jesus has said that Lazarus will live again, Martha simply says, “Lord, I believe…” The Bible adds, “When she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.” Apparently, Jesus’ words had so comforted Martha that she felt the need to immediately go and get her grieving sister to bring her to Jesus as well.

We do not know all that is going on in Martha’s mind right now, but one thing we do know is that she has confidence in Jesus. In the face of death and grief, she has begun to have a semblance of peace and calm. She has let go of the situation and let Jesus have control.

In our moments of death and grief, be they literal or metaphorical, we too can have this peace and calm only if we believe in Jesus. He is the Resurrection and the Life. Not only does He have the power to bring dead people back to life, but He has the power to bring life to dead circumstances and situations in our lives. Most importantly, He is the only one who can give life to us who are ‘dead in our trespasses and sins.’ That is the reason why He came; eternal life is a bonus that only comes to those who can say, like Martha, “Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.”

Are you ready to say this today? Are you ready to believe in Jesus Christ? Here is how:

But here is the good news. John 3:16 reads, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The phrase “For God so loved the world” means that if you are in this world, God loves you no matter what you have done.

Our next phrase, “should not perish”, refers to eternal punishment in a place called hell.

And, lastly, the phrase “but have everlasting life” means to live eternally in Heaven with God.

Dear friend, if you are willing to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, please pray with me this simple prayer: Heavenly Father, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

Jesus Raises His Friend Lazarus from the Dead, Part 8 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 161)

JJMessage

TEXT: John 11:20-26

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.

24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

———-

Adam Clarke said, “Jesus did not claim to have resurrection and life, or understand secrets about resurrection and life. Instead Jesus dramatically said that He is the resurrection and the life. To know Jesus is to know resurrection and life; to have Jesus is to have resurrection and life.”

In our last message, we saw that, even though her brother is dead, Martha has complete faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Because death is so abnormal, it is a hard thing for any grieving person to have that kind of confidence. But Martha believes that whatever Jesus will do now that Lazarus is dead will be the right thing and the best thing. However, she does not anticipate that Jesus intends to bring Lazarus back to life.

In verse 23 we read, “Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.” In retrospect, this seems like a very straightforward statement. But Martha’s idea of Lazarus rising again and Jesus’ idea of Lazarus rising again are very different. Martha said, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” She, like many Jews — especially the Pharisees — believed that Lazarus would be resurrected in the day of judgment with all of the other righteous people who had ever lived. She had no hope of seeing her brother again in her lifetime. Although it was little consolation, she was content with that far-off resurrection.

However, Jesus has a different resurrection in mind. He says, “I am the resurrection, and the life.” In other words, the resurrection and the life is not some far off event. Resurrection and life is found in a person — Jesus Christ. Wherever Jesus is, resurrection and life will be present. Death has no power in Jesus’ presence. Things cannot just go on the same way when Jesus is invited into a situation. His very presence guarantees that something is going to change.

Warren Wiersbe said Jesus “brought the doctrine of the resurrection out of the shadows and into the light. The Old Testament revelation about death and resurrection is not clear or complete; it is, as it were, ‘in the shadows.’ In fact, there are some passages in Psalms and Ecclesiastes that almost make one believe that death is the end and there is no hope beyond the grave. False teachers like to use these passages to support their heretical teachings, but they ignore (or misinterpret) the clear teachings found in the New Testament. After all, it was not David or Solomon who ‘brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel’, but Jesus Christ! By His teaching, His miracles, and His own resurrection, Jesus clearly taught the resurrection of the human body. He has declared once for all that death is real, that there is life after death, and that the body will one day be raised by the power of God.”

Jesus promises that those who believe in Him will always live. He tells Martha, “He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”

Lazarus was one of those who believed in Jesus. Because of this belief, although he was dead, he would indeed live again as Martha had stated. However, Jesus is saying that, even now, although his body is in the grave, he is still alive. Jesus knew that Lazarus’ spirit was alive with God the Father, and that, one day, his body would be as well. How can Jesus say that those who live and believe in Him will never die? Because, from God’s perspective, those who “die” physically are not really dead. They have just moved on to another form of existence — in Lazarus’ case, ‘absent from the body and present with the Lord.’ That is where Lazarus is right now.

Charles Spurgeon said, “Those that believe in Jesus Christ appear to die, but yet they live. They are not in the grave, they are for ever with the Lord. They are not unconscious they are with their Lord in Paradise. Death cannot kill a believer, it can only usher him into a freer form of life… Death comes to the ungodly man as a penal infliction, but to the righteous as a summons to his Father’s palace: to the sinner it is an execution, to the saint an undressing. Death to the wicked is the King of terrors: death to the saint is the end of terrors, the commencement of glory.”

Jesus wants Martha to understand that her brother is not really gone. He asks, “Believest thou this?” Mary and Martha may have felt that death was a bad thing for Lazarus. It was not. Lazarus was in a much better place and Jesus wants Mary and Martha to grasp that.

You, too, can get to the point where you do not fear death — where death is not a terror but a triumph. This can only come through belief in Jesus Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life. Jesus is asking you the same thing He asked Martha: “Believest thou this?” He did not ask if you understand it; He asked if you believe it. Belief is the key to this triumph over death. If you believe in Jesus Christ, death will have no eternal significance for you because it will simply be a transition from this physical life to a higher form of life with God.

Are you ready to believe in Jesus Christ, the Resurrection and the Life so that when you die physically, you will simply have gone to be alive with God in Heaven? Here is how:

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

Jesus Raises His Friend Lazarus from the Dead, Part 7 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 160)

JJMessage

TEXT: John 11:14-22

14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

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

16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

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.

———-

Warren Wiersbe said, “God’s truth has been given to us in three ‘editions’: His Word is truth; His Son is the truth; and His Spirit is the truth. We need all three if we are to experience true sanctification, a sanctification that touches every part of our inner person. With the mind, we learn God’s truth through the Word. With the heart, we love God’s truth, His Son. With the will, we yield to the Spirit and live God’s truth day by day. It takes all three for a balanced experience of sanctification.”

B.B. Warfield said, “In the infinite wisdom of the Lord of all the earth, each event falls with exact precision into its proper place in the unfolding of His divine plan. Nothing, however small, however strange, occurs without His ordering, or without its particular fitness for its place in the working out of His purpose; and the end of all shall be the manifestation of His glory, and the accumulation of His praise.”

In this passage, we see that Jesus has finally arrived at Bethany, where the Bible informs us that Lazarus has lain in the grave for four days. This detail is important because the Jews believed that a person’s spirit hovered around the body for three days in hopes of being reunited with its physical form and being returned to life. After the third day, it was believed that the spirit abandoned the body and all hope of resurrection was gone. So, Jesus steps into a situation that was considered hopeless by everyone else.

When Jesus arrived in Bethany, He was not just met by Mary and Martha; He was met by “many of the Jews” who had come to comfort the sisters in their grief. In the Ancient Near East, grieving was a very public process that carried on for seven days or more. Family, friends, neighbors, and even professional mourners participated in the display of grief. All of these people were present when Jesus arrived in Bethany. The Bible tells us that Mary was so stricken with grief that, when news of Jesus’ arrival reached them, she did not even go to meet Him.

Martha, however, did. “As soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him.” She said to Him, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” Unlike some of Jesus’ blood relatives, Mary and Martha took Jesus’ identity as the Son of God seriously. They knew that when Jesus was around, things did not just go on as usual. Jesus was a game-changer, and Martha was disappointed that He had not been with them during Lazarus’ illness. She was certain that, had He been there, her brother would not have died.

Although Martha was honest about her feelings, she had not lost faith in Jesus Christ. She followed up her comments to Jesus by saying, “But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.” We cannot be sure what, exactly, Martha expected Jesus to do seeing that Lazarus was dead and that (in her mind) the chance of him being resurrected was gone. But, what we can commend is her faith in Jesus Christ. Even in this hopeless situation, she believed that Jesus would do what was best. She made what one commentator called a “non-specific prayer request.” Essentially, she said, ‘Lord, I don’t know what You’re going to do. I don’t even know what to ask You to do. But I trust that You will do what is best. I’m leaving this in Your hands.’

Have you ever tried that? Have you ever been so confident in God that, when you don’t know what to do, you can say, ‘I don’t have any will about it. God, do what You know is best. I’ll be content with that.’ Sometimes, that is the only thing we can say when we are in hopeless situations. God will often allow these situations to come about so that He can force us to rely on Him. As Corrie ten Boom said, ‘Sometimes we don’t realize that God is all we need until we find that God is all we have.’

Martha is a great example for us today. No matter what you are facing — even if you think you know a way to work out your situation — you can choose to rely on Jesus Christ and leave everything in His hands. When Jesus is in control, things may not go as you expect them to go, but they will go according to God’s plan — and His plan is always best. You may not think so now, but God has a plan for your life — yes, a plan for all of your seemingly hopeless situations. That plan begins with you placing your faith and trust in His Son, Jesus Christ, just as Martha did, for your soul’s salvation.

Are you ready to do that today? Here is how:

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Saviour, John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

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