Seeing and Believing

John 14:8-11 KJV

Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. [9] Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? [10] Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. [11] Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

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Phillip did not believe all that Jesus taught. After many months of walking with Jesus, Phillip was not sure. He was present during all the miracles and wisdom Jesus shared. He saw food multiplied miraculously and he saw dead children raised back to life. Yet, in the stillness, away from the people, Phillip admits, he isn’t sure Jesus and the Father are one. He may have believed when the miracles were happening, but away from the supernatural wonders, he regressed to doubt.

Doubt is a poison that steals our victory. The Lord said no man who is double-minded will receive anything from Him (James 1:7). In modern times we see few miracles and our precious Jesus is in the presence of the Father. We do not have the Lord with us like Phillip did. However, like Phillip, we may say to the Lord, “show us and we will believe.” But the Lord responds to that by saying you must first believe and then you will see (Heb 11:6). He doesn’t offer proof to boost our confidence. Instead, he gives us the Word of God as our proof.

Phillip had physical proof, he saw the miracles, and still, he doubted Jesus. We do not see any miracles and we also doubt Jesus. So, it seems like doubt is a long-standing destroyer of the works of God. Whether there are signs and wonders or not, doubt remains (John 4:48). As modern believers we must stop using the excuse that we do not see miracles and therefore it is impossible not to doubt. This is a lie. Phillip saw the miracles and he doubted. We don’t see the miracles and we doubt. Clearly, demanding proof will never accomplish the will of God. Rather, an innocent and childlike trust in God combined with a decision to believe will result in confidence in the Lord.

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Lord, please help me always have confidence in You. When you are moving and when you are silent, let me be confident. Help me keep my confidence when things are not going as I expect. Help me never blame you or demand an explanation from you. Instead, please give me the gift of faith that stands. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Take Away the Stone

John 11:39-43 WEB

Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” [40] Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see God’s glory?” [41] So they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, “Father, I thank you that you listened to me. [42] I know that you always listen to me, but because of the multitude that stands around I said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” [43] When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

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Jesus had high expectations. Martha’s brother had been in the tomb for four days. There was nothing left to hope for in this life, Lazarus was gone. Still, Jesus reproves Martha for her lack of belief. He expected her to believe in a hopeless situation. Not only that, but she was also in pain. With Lazarus dead, Martha had many things to worry about. Regardless, the Lord does not shield Martha from the truth but instead reproves her.

It’s stunning. Martha was arguing with the Lord. She had just confessed that Jesus was the Messiah (John 11:27). Martha exulted in the revelation that Jesus was divine. But at the first small test, she fell. Instead of focusing on Jesus, she had her eyes on the situation. This resulted in Martha openly contradicting the Lord. If her mind had been set on belief and trust, Martha would have kept her first awareness of Jesus. But she clearly doubted. And because she doubted, she questioned. Because of doubt she openly demonstrated disbelief.

But Jesus believed. And all those that rolled the stone away believed. In the face of Martha’s instability in her walk with Jesus, he remained stable. He was faithful to Martha, Mary, and all those who trusted him for leadership. Martha slipped in and out of faith but Jesus remained faithful (Rom 3:3-4). Jesus believed to the point of confidence, so he called out boldly, “Lazarus, come out!”

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Lord, please help me trust you and believe your Word. When difficulties arise lend me your grace that I may stand stable in my faith. Help me keep my eyes on you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Jesus Groans

John 11:33-40 WEB

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, [34] and said, “Where have you laid him?” They told him, “Lord, come and see.” [35] Jesus wept. [36] The Jews therefore said, “See how much affection he had for him!” [37] Some of them said, “Couldn’t this man, who opened the eyes of him who was blind, have also kept this man from dying?” [38] Jesus therefore, again groaning in himself, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it. [39] Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” [40] Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see God’s glory?”

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God hates disbelief. In this story, Jesus groans twice. The first time he groans he is with Mary crying in despair. The second time he groans the Jews were murmuring doubtful comments. In the first instance, Mary is at his feet and has just lamented Jesus could have saved Lazarus (John 11:32). In the second instance, the Jews were questioning why Lazarus died. Thus, Jesus had much to groan about. However, it is the disbelief that makes this situation so troubling. In other places in the scripture, it says that Jesus was limited in the miracles he could perform because of disbelief (Mat 13:58). When Jesus followed the Father’s direction and waited to come to Bethany to heal Lazarus, he took a risk.

It was a risk for Jesus to tell his disciples that he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. It was a risk to the lives of the disciples to be in Bethany of Judea. There were many seeking to arrest the Lord and his companions (John 11:8, 16). So, to see the disbelief, and to have so much pressure on him, Jesus groans. We know from the scripture Jesus had times when the miracles would not flow. This created pressure on Jesus. This forced Jesus to walk in faith. He had to take a risk with every miracle. Now, he is going to do something he has never done.

Jesus is about to raise Lazarus from the dead. But he has a problem, there is a real lack of faith from everyone. The sisters are in despair, the Jews are murmuring, and the disciples are unhappy. Jesus needed to raise their faith. So, he gives them a task. Remove the stone. It took faith to move the stone. Lazarus had been in the grave for four days and his body should have been in a state of decay. To move the stone was an unclean act. Being unclean disqualifies one from going into the temple. Therefore, this was truly an act of faith. And that mustard seed of faith was enough. Lazarus was about to be called out of the grave.  

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Lord give me a discerning ear to hear from the Holy Spirit. Lead me into obedience that can move mountains. Give me wisdom and cause me to mature in my faith. I trust you, Lord, with this process. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Hope or Doubt?

John 11:20-27 WEB

Then when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary stayed in the house. [21] Therefore Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. [22] Even now I know that, whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” [23] Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” [24] Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” [25] Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies. [26] Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” [27] She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, he who comes into the world.”

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Jesus told Martha a secret. He told her he was, “the resurrection and the life.” Jesus had enough confidence in Martha to tell her something new, a revelation. Why didn’t he give this revelation to his disciples first? It’s probably because Jesus knows the heart of all people. He knew he could entrust the truth to Martha. She would not throw it away in doubt.

Martha did not doubt the Lord even after Lazarus died. She acknowledged anything was possible with the Lord. Even in her brother’s death, Martha had hope. So, she ran to the Lord. When she saw him Martha lamented that Jesus could have saved Lazarus. However, she quickly moves past sadness and goes straight to the victory. She said, “Even now I know that, whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Martha had hope.

But Mary stayed behind because she did not have hope. She had given the Lord everything she had and still, he did not answer her call for help. She was immobilized by her grief. Lazarus was the provider of the home. Moreover, Mary had given up a sinful lifestyle that she probably profited from. That left her only one option, trust Lazarus. Then Lazarus died. And Jesus didn’t show up. Mary had just recently given him her most precious possession. And now, she was spiritually bankrupt. She came to a crisis of belief because things did not go how she expected. Her life was not going as she expected.

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Lord, help me seek you so I may serve you. Help me remember I do not serve myself but I serve you. When things look different than I expect, help me stand steady in my faith, nothing wavering. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Walking in the Light with Jesus

John 11:7-11,16 WEB

Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let’s go into Judea again.” [8] The disciples told him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and are you going there again?” [9] Jesus answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours of daylight? If a man walks in the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world. [10] But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light isn’t in him.” [11] He said these things, and after that, he said to them, “Our friend, Lazarus, has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may awake him out of sleep.” [16] Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go also, that we may die with him.”

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Jesus was not afraid of dying at the hand of the Jews. He knew what the Father was going to do, so he knew where to place his feet. The Father showed Jesus that Lazarus was going to return from death and Jesus told the disciples. Jesus knew he was going to wake Lazarus from death because the Father showed him. Jesus did not fling his safety away thoughtlessly. Rather, he had confidence in God and in his purpose in God.

Jesus was walking in the light of God’s counsel. He only did what he saw and heard from the Father, so we know that the Father showed him what was about to happen. In this light, Jesus walks into danger with peace because he can see where he is going. But Jesus also reminds us the opposite is true. We can also walk in the dark.

It is amazing the disciples, who saw firsthand all the miracles, still doubted. The disciples were not convinced it was safe to go into Judea and began to murmur against the Lord. At least some of the disciples were walking in the dark. At least some of the disciples did not have enough relationship and time with the Father to know what he was doing. Therefore they walked in the dark.

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Lord, help me trust the Father the way you trust the Father. Lead me into devotional practice that will reveal your plans and purposes. Enlighten my understanding and save me from trying to navigate life in the dark. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In Spirit and Truth

John 4:19-23 WEB

The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. [20] Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” [21] Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, will you worship the Father. [22] You worship that which you don’t know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews. [23] But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshipers.

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Jesus had just told the woman secrets that He could only know through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (John 4:17-18). She had the spiritual acumen to understand that something supernatural was taking place. Jesus goes on to confirm this when he says, “true worshipers will worship…in spirit and truth.”

Confirmation is great when it happens. However, everything that comes from the Father is not confirmed immediately. When we walk in the Spirit and in the knowledge of Biblical Truth, we are going to encounter the supernatural. God is real. Thus, when we are in a relationship with Him, he will reach across the boundaries of reality and change things for our benefit and the benefit of others.  

When these supernatural circumstances happen, they may slip by if we do not have the spiritual acumen to notice. Often the supernatural can seem like a coincidence or a possible, but natural, outcome. Thus, doubt arises. However, we must believe that God is real and that he is truly participating in our relationship with Him. This foundation of belief will make it possible to receive directly from the Father.

The word says in James 1:6-8 that a doubter will receive nothing from God. This is not a judgment; it is a statement of fact. To receive you must believe God is working. If you do not fully believe, you will not accept what God is doing. Therefore, you will miss what God is doing. You will receive nothing. To receive from God, you cannot doubt. Moreover, you must worship him in Spirit and Truth.

When you accept the spiritual nature of your relationship with God your acumen to perceive the supernatural will rise. You will be able to participate in what God is doing in your life and in the world around you. The relationship you have with God will become real and vibrant. And in that place, just like Jesus, you will both receive and have an abundance to share with the lost.

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Lord Jesus, help me to perceive your works in my life and in the world around me. I do not want to miss a single word you whisper. I do not want to miss a single thing you do. Please help me worship in Spirit and Truth so that you and I will have a vibrant relationship. Help me perceive the supernatural so that I will be filled and have an abundance to share with others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Astonishing Belief

John 2:11-12 WEB

This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. [12] After this, he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

Jesus was approximately 30 years old when He publicly revealed His glory. That implies that He carried His anointing without telling anyone for a period. When He did finally reveal His glory the text scripture says it caused His disciples to believe. However, because His disciples were at the wedding, it appears they already believed. They had reason to believe based on the testimony of John the Baptist. Considering two of John’s disciples, Andrew, and Philip, went to follow Jesus, there is a clear argument that they believed before this miracle. So why does the text scripture say the first miracle caused them to believe? The disciples already believed based on the things they heard Jesus say and the testimony of John the Baptist. However, the miraculous sign gave them greater assurance of that belief. In other words, they believed more. It is unlikely the disciples saw great miracles every day. In modern times there are men and women of God that pray for miracles and see them come to pass. Still, they do not see miracles every time they pray. They persist in their faith and obedience and some of those times God intervenes in astonishing ways. Signs happen for everyone. The key is making a mental note, allowing your belief to deepen, and then during periods when things are normal, choosing to remain in that new level of belief.

Lord Jesus, please help me remain in belief. Answer my prayers Lord for that deepens my belief and delivers me from doubt. In Jesus’ name, amen.