2/23/9

Okay, so this passage isn’t exactly what I’m saying, but it illustrates my point. So Jesus is at a feast after raising Lazarus from the dead, there are “some Greeks” there who have started to believe in Him because of that miracle, the pharisees were there too. So Jesus talks to the crowd a bit, but they don’t understand him, John 12:38-40 says, “so that the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again, “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.” Which brings me to John 12:42-43, ” Still, however, even out of the rulers, many did believe on Him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;  for they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God.” Okay, so that may have been the long way to get to this but it makes more sense to me this way. When I read this passage I was convicted about pride, and wanting to have the really good sounding blogs that make everyone think and whatever.  So I feel like eyes had been blinded and my heart had been hardened, which is kind of ironic considering Friday’s post, but those were not my words or revelations so that’s how that happened. Anyways, verse 43 really hit me. I have been focusing more on the my glory and approval from you guys than actually trying to give God all the glory I can. So…yeah. I’ve already talked with Papa about it, but I wanted to put it out there, it’s a bit humbling which is exactly what I need.

P.S.- To be clear I am not comparing you guys to the pharisees in verse 42.

How Do I Prove That I Believe

Sunday in church one of the songs during worship was “Healer.” Below are some of the lyrics.

I believe You’re my Healer
I believe You are all I need
I believe You’re my Portion
I believe You’re more than enough for me
Jesus You’re all I need

What stuck out to me, or really just sunk in was the word “believe.” If the song said, “Jesus, You’re my healer”, the meaning would be different to me. The way it is written really points out that you must believe those words. As I was thinking about this James 2 came to my mind. James 2:14: ”What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” Verse 17 says, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” So I was thinking, what does action look like in that context? How do my actions show that I believe Jesus is my healer, that I believe He is my portion and all I need? Do I not work myself up trying to solve situations that only Papa can heal? Is it an increased amount of time in the word? I don’t have the answer to this…yet. I’m just curious. Has this thought ever occured to anyone else?

Isaiah 40:28-31

Belief.

continuing onto my last post about belief.  Isaiah 40 is familiar to most, but when read correctly changes the meaning and adds quite a bit of significance.

28Do you not know? Have you not heard?
         The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth
         Does not become weary or tired
         His understanding is inscrutable.

What a great pedigree He lays out in the beginning of this statement.  This is who I am, and I have never gotten weary or tired.  When you think you understand God, you don’t.  Unfathomable. 

29He gives strength to the weary,
         And to him who lacks might He increases power.

OK, some interesting stuff in this verse.  He gives His strength to the weary, and remember He had never gotten weary or tired.  Now the second part of that verse is also cool, that word might in Hebrew is also the same word for manhood.  To him who lacks manhood He increases power, and it is once again His power.

30Though youths grow weary and tired,
         And vigorous young men stumble badly,
    31Yet those who wait for the LORD
         Will gain new strength;
         They will mount up with wings like eagles,
         They will run and not get tired,
         They will walk and not become weary.

The reason youths grow weary and young men stumble badly, is because we don’t wait on the Lord.  Like my last post do what Jesus did, only do what Dad has told you to do, and then wait until He says something else and then do that immediately.  Gain a new strength huh?  What does that look like, and what does new mean?  The last two lines in that verse in Hebrew say they will run and not get tired EVER, they will walk and not become weary EVER.  Woah, what the heck.  So what does that mean when we get tired and weary?  Because He says we wont do that ever.  When we get tired and weary for any reason it is a good reminder of who we are and who God is.  It goes back to belief again.  What do I believe about His strength, and His power, and His manhood?  Can I go and not get tired or weary ever? He says I can.  Belief is the basis for everything.  If our beliefs about God and ourselves don’t change we will continue to run this race much slower than His speed and we will still get tired doing it.  It’s like running on a tread mill.  We are going 10 mph and wearing ourselves out and still staying in the same place.  Believe differently and get off the treadmill.