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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Wednesday, 15 November 2023:
Amos 3:7 — For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.
The Bible says that God provides revelation to His servants the prophets. Today, we receive revelation by God’s word enlightened by the Holy Spirit. However, when God’s people turn from Him, revelation ceases, and when revelation ceases, lawlessness only grows – it becomes a downward spiral into destruction. Proverbs 29:18 points out, “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.” How important is it for us to remain prayerfully in God’s word and to live obediently before the Lord? Peaking ahead into Amos chapter 8, God warns His rebellious people, “’Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.’” Remember Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Are you feasting on God’s word, or are you famished? Are you being guided by the revelation of the Holy Spirit or simply by what seems right from your limited perspective?
From Henry T. Blackaby — “Christians spend much time talking about ‘seeking God’s will,’ as though it were hidden and difficult to find. God does not hide His will. His will is not difficult to discover. We do not have to plead with God to reveal His will to us. He is more eager to reveal His will than we are willing to receive it. We sometimes ask God to do things He has already done! The people in Amos’s day became disoriented to God and to His desires. God had revealed His will; the problem was that they had not recognized it or obeyed it. Amos declared that God does nothing in the affairs of humanity without seeking one of His servants to whom He will reveal His activity. Tragically, there are times when no one is walking closely enough with Him to be receptive to His word (Isaiah 59:16; 63:5; Ezekiel 22:30-31). Jesus walked so intimately with His Father that He was always aware of what the Father was doing around Him (John 5:19-20). Jesus said that if our eyes are pure, they will see God and recognize His activity (Matt. 6:22). If we are not seeing God’s activity, the problem is not a lack of revelation. The problem is that our sin prevents us from noticing it. When God is working in your child’s life or when He is convicting your coworker, He may reveal His activity to you. His revelation is His invitation for you to join Him in His redemptive work. Be alert to God’s activity around you. He will reveal His activity to His servants. If your spiritual eyes are pure, you will be overwhelmed by all that you see God doing around you!” (Henry T. Blackaby)
A nation without faithful servants of God have no real prophets and have no clue what God is doing. Still many will claim to speak for God. Does the church know what God is doing now? Do you have the revelation of God as a natural product of your close relationship with Him? In his day, the shepherd Amos was the one God found ready to proclaim truth in a deceived land full of unfaithful government officials and religious leaders. Who are the Amos’ of our day?
Amos 3:8 – The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?
Faithful followers of Jesus cannot help but proclaim His word.
John 11:4 — This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.
Since we cannot understand what God is doing, and since we view circumstances from a self-centered perspective, it is very easy for us to misinterpret what is happening to us and to begin to think that God is neglecting us or punishing us when bad things are happening. It is hard for us the imagine that “bad” things aren’t really “bad” but rather best.
John 11:5 — Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
John 11:14, 15 — Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus deeply, so He allowed them to go through a tremendous life crisis. The sisters asked for Jesus’ immediate help, but in His love, He delayed until Lazarus died. “Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother,” but where was Jesus in their time of great need? Martha and Mary couldn’t help but question why Jesus had apparently let them down — “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:32) If He loved them so much, why would He let this happen when He had already demonstrated the power to heal?
“Jesus wept.” (John 11:35) Jesus’ delay was undoubtedly perceived by some to be inattentiveness or insensitivity. However, Jesus was fully aware of what was going on and had great compassion for Martha, Mary and all who were suffering through this crisis. Though Jesus “was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled” by the pain experienced by those He loved, He didn’t prevent Lazarus’ death because He knew they needed to go through this crisis in order to realize a far greater joy of knowing from experience that Jesus is “the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25) They already knew Jesus could heal and perform miracles, but now they would know that Jesus is the Life — “Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:26) Can you imagine how much deeper the relationship was between Mary, Martha, Lazarus and Jesus after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead? Can you imagine how greatly God was glorified through Jesus’ relationship with Mary, Martha and Lazarus — “See how he loved him!” (John 11:36) “It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4)
If you have ever questioned why God allowed you to go through crisis or tragedy and seemed to leave your prayers unanswered, this story is for you. In His perfect love, God will never forsake you and will walk with you compassionately through hard times to draw you closer to Him and to glorify Himself through your life. Trust in God’s love through life’s challenges, draw closer to Him, and wait upon Him. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)
– Romans 8:28-29 — And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
– Romans 8:31-32 — What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
– Romans 8:35. 37-39 — Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 11:21 – Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
What emotions do you suppose were behind Martha’s words? It takes great faith to trust God in His apparent silence or delay while going through life crisis. It takes great faith to believe in God’s unconditional, perfect love and not to start blaming Him. No doubt Mary and Martha had their doubts, but they maintained hearts responsive to the Lord. They were probably like the man who said to Jesus, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief (Matthew 9:24)!”
John 11:25, 26 — I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?
If you really believe this, it changes your whole outlook on life and all of your priorities.
John 11:27 – She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
Jesus put Martha through life crisis to take her to the next level, to take her from head knowledge to heart knowledge, to make her faith real by giving her an opportunity to personally experience the Truth of God rather than to just rely upon teachings. Martha was going to see first-hand the power of God in her life; no longer would her faith rely on stories and the testimony of others. She was about to become a true witness. You won’t grow in faith unless you step out in faith, unless you place yourself, or are placed, in situations when you can truly see God work. God will not let you stay where you are in your relationship with Him. You will either step out in faith to truly experience Him, or He will push you out through circumstances that He will orchestrate for your benefit and for His glory.
John 11:32, 33 — Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
How differently do you think Mary, Martha, and Lazarus felt about Jesus after Lazarus was raised from the dead? But Jesus wasn’t just using this situation to draw those three closer to Him, he was using their situation to bring glory to God before a watching world — “Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.” (John 11:45) It takes great faith to believe that God’s delay is always for a greater good, a greater purpose that I cannot understand. But in faith we bring glory to God while He draws us closer and closer to Him.
John 11:35 – Jesus wept.
One of the shortest verses in the Bible is one of the most powerful. Through it all, God Himself has great compassion for you because of His perfect love for you. Tied for shortest verse in the Bible is Thessalonians 5:16 “Rejoice always.” These two short verses have much to tell us.
John 11:39, 40 – Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”
Jesus has control over science and nature and uses them to reveal Himself.
John 11:41, 42 – And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”
What God does in your life is ultimately not about you but about God and His purpose of reconciliation in the world. God’s ultimate intent is not to give you a better life on earth but to glorify Himself and conform you to Christ-like character. Your goal should be His goal.
Jesus saw His public prayers as an important testimony to others.
John 11:43 — Lazarus, come out.
The blessings of God always require our instant, willing obedience to His commands.
John 11:45, 46 — Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
Jesus Christ will always be divisive. Everyone will pick a side, but no one stands in the middle. It is either all about Jesus or not at all about Jesus. Anyone who say’s they are Christian but don’t surrender all to Him are hypocrites.
Jesus’ incredible miracle divided the crowd, some believed and some didn’t. Miracles cannot change the heart, though many claim their disbelief comes from a lack of evidence of God. Belief is not a knowledge issue, it is a heart issue. However, the chief priests and Pharisees only saw Jesus as a threat to their earthly position (John 11:48).
John 11:54 – Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.
Those who reject Jesus will not see Him, experience Him, or have an appreciation for what they are missing. Jesus is with His disciples in obscure locations.
Had Jesus desired political power or power within the religious institutions, this would have been His opportunity to claim a position of leadership, yet He did the opposite of what most people would do, He withdrew. His goal was to glorify the Father and the Kingdom of God, not to build a kingdom on earth that would help people get the things they wanted that were mere substitutes for God.
John 11:57 – Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.
The religious leaders wanted Jesus arrested. What does this say about the dangers of church politics? “Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 15 November 2023: Remain prayerfully in God’s word, and pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is revealing. Don’t quench the Spirit, grieve the Spirit, or get out of step with the Spirit through disobedience and miss the revelation God intends for you. In your challenges today, focus on trusting God, drawing closer to Him, and glorifying Him before others through your confidence, joy, and peace.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 