SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/30/2016 9:31 AM
My Worship Time Focus: The Prayer
Bible Reading &
Meditation Reference: John 11:41-42
Message of the verses: “41 So they removed the stone. Then Jesus
raised His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42
“I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I
said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.’”
Jesus wanted
the stone removed and so those who were there removed the stone, and not
Jesus. Jesus could have caused the stone
to be removed; even causing it to fly through the air, but Jesus did not do
tricks. Jesus had the people do what
they could do so that He would then do what He could do, and that is raising
Lazarus from the dead.
Now as we
look at the prayer we see that Jesus did not ask the Father to raise Lazarus
from the dead, but simply thanked Him for hearing Him, and then stating that He
knew that the Father always heard him whenever He prayed to Him. He then says that the reason for the prayer
was for the benefit of those around Him could believe that the Father had sent
the Son.
Once again
we see that Jesus wanted the people to understand why He came, and who it was
that sent Him, and this goes along with the theme of John’s gospel that we have
been looking at since we begin our study in this wonderful book way back in
November of last year.
I just want
to say a bit more that probably should have been said in our last SD, as I have
finished listening to the sermon on the verses that we will go over as seen in
John MacArthur’s commentary from chapter 40.
It has to do with Martha and we did talk about her reaction to what
Jesus was telling her about Him being the Resurrection and the Life. Now we have mentioned that just like in the
case of the man born blind and also the death of Lazarus that it was not about
them, but about Jesus and bringing glory to God. In the sermon that I listened to I was moved
by this fact that this was all about bringing glory to the Lord. I was thinking about some of the so called
preachers that are seen on the TV and how they are supposedly doing miracles of
healing people, and how rich they are getting from this “business” that they
are in. They are not doing this for the
glory of the Lord, but for the filling of their pockets and people are falling
for it.
I was also
thinking about the times when I have asked the Lord to bring about healing in
my life or perhaps a friend’s life and remembering that I wanted the Lord to
heal a sickness just for that person or for myself, but have not really thought
about for the glory of the Lord. It is
the responsibility of all believers to bring glory to the Lord, that is why
Jesus came to earth and that is why He saved us and this was a reminder in that
sermon that I listened to, to do this as best I can through the power of the
Holy Spirit.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: Remember that I am to do what I can do for
the cause of Christ, and let the Lord do what only He can do.
My Steps of Faith for
Today: Live my life to bring glory
to the Lord. “But we all, with unveiled
face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed
into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit (2
Cor. 3:18).”
Memory verses for the week:
(Romans 6:8-9) “8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we
shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the
dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.”
Answer to yesterday’s Bible question: “The Passover” (Luke 22:1).
Today’s Bible question:
“Which prophecy concerning Christ was given in Isaiah 53:9 and fulfilled
in Matthew 27:57-60.”
Answer in our next SD.
8/30/2016 9:59 AM
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