Week Thirty, 2025
Lazarus, come forth. Lazarus, who had been dead for four days, comes out bound in grave clothes, and his face is wrapped in a cloth. Jesus instructs the people to loose him and let him go (John 11:43-44).
One of Jesus’ go-to places was the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He was a distance away when He got word that Lazarus was dead. He took His time and tarried for three days to make a point. The Jewish people believed that spirits hung around a body for three days after death; after that, they were truly gone. Jesus simply walked to the grave cave and commanded the dead Lazarus to “come forth.” And Lazarus walked out.
In the Gospel of John, the narrative of Lazarus being raised from the dead after four days is a powerful example of Jesus’s authority and power over death. His command, “Lazarus, come forth!” is a direct call to life, demonstrating His mastery over mortality and foreshadowing His own resurrection. This miracle served as a ‘sign’ confirming Jesus’s divine nature and His role as the Messiah.
The command, “Lazarus, come forth!” is a direct call to life, and is seen as a powerful example of Jesus’s authority over death and His ability to bring forth new life, both physical and spiritual. The miracle of Lazarus’s resurrection is also a test for the onlookers, prompting them to choose between faith and disbelief, as some of Jesus’s critics responded with anger and further opposition.
But here is the real point of the story. Jesus did what only He could do. He brought Lazarus back to life. Then, he turned to those in the crowd and told them to do what anyone could do. He told them to remove the grave clothing.
God is like that. He does what only He can do and then asks us to do the rest, which we can do.
What is God calling you to do today?
Sometimes True Stories
Have you ever looked closely at a tall and sturdy oak tree? In order for it to weather the wind and storms, it had to grow strong roots. It takes time to grow those strong roots and godly roots are much the same. Wickedness, on the other hand, may prosper for a short time, but like a tree growing in sand, stability will never come. Grow godly roots and they will give you the stability for a godly life.
There are 65 million American adults and 6 million American children who are currently on psychiatric drugs.
The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are dressed totally inappropriately, or you are with someone you don’t want to be seen with.
As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold. (Yes, John 😊)
Quotes You Can Use
For Christians, death is the necessary means to a glorious destination. Jim Denison
The oldest, shortest words—”yes” and “no”—are those which require the most thought. Pythagoras
Health is like money. We never have a true appreciation for it until we lose it.
Love begins by taking care of the closest ones—the ones at home. Mother Teresa
Never be a prisoner of your past. It was a lesson, not a life sentence.
Tolerance will reach such a level that intelligent people will be banned from thinking, so as to not offend those who lack the ability to think.
I asked God, ‘Why are you taking me through these troubled waters?’ And He said, ‘Because your enemies can’t swim.
Coming soon: Biker who identifies as a cyclist wins Tour de France.
Society has become so fake that the truth actually bothers many.
There are some people who, if they don’t already know, you can’t tell ’em. Yogi Berra
Never underestimate a mother’s influence. Dan Shock
Jesus left us the third part of the Trinity that when we accept His grace, the lamp of the Lord lights up our life and the path forward begins to glow. Tony Ferguson
Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. Arnold Schwarzenegger
God will never call you to do anything that He will not enable you to do. Dan Shock
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