Declare It – Psalm 118:17

SUNDAY, 15 NOVEMBER 2015,

 

Slide1The miracle performed by Jesus in Lazarus’ life not only told us about His divine power to raise people from dead. Jesus’ miracle never be done without any divine reason. Receiving miracle is receiving responsibility. There was a specific reason why Lazarus received that miracle. Not only his family who received surprised gift from God but also people around him even the Bible noted that many of the Jews believed in Jesus. Let’s acknowledge that as a Christian we have very important responsibility to do. Stepping in a Christian life means that we are ready to live in His wondrous light, ready to receive His heavenly blessing, ready to admire His amazing miracle, and also ready to declare His works to as many people as we meet.

 

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 1Peter 2:9

Slide3

 

NEVER GIVE UP

 

Slide4There was a big struggle before the miracle performed in Lazarus. He was sick and his sisters organized someone sent to Jesus letting Him know about his condition. Surprisingly, Jesus answered that Lazarus’ sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God Jn.11:4. In fact, the sickness was not getting any better but Lazarus dead in the next 2 days! It must be a difficult time for Lazarus’ family. They tried to believe in Jesus’ words and expected for a perfect healing but it was never happened until Lazarus dead. Both Martha and Mary expected that if Jesus had been there so their brother would not have died. Jesus could understand how was their feeling. Jesus loved Lazarus and He wept when came to the tomb Jn.11:34-36.

Do not give up and never give up when we face any difficulties. Each problem, each difficult situation, is a raw material ready to be changed for a miracle. If there is not any problem in our life so we will never need any help. If there are not any impossibilities in our life so we will never ask and pray for God who is able to turn it all to possibilities. Do not give up when having problem since we understand that there is a chance for us to personally experience the miracle from heaven. Keep trust in God even maybe we found it is very difficult to hold His Words. That is normal when we do not understand His ways and His thought. The Lord said that His thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are our ways His ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than our ways, and His thoughts than our thoughts Is.55:8-9. The only thing we can do is keep believing in Him and ask Holy Spirit to open the eyes of our heart so we can always stick our eyes on Him. Whenever we face any difficulties, let us believe that God is preparing a brand new, fresh experience for us to be shared and declared. Because God always wants to give a new blessing for us so we are always allowed to have a new problem. Because God always have a desire to upgrade us so He need to bring us to higher level of the faith declaration.

Slide5Lazarus was not died because of his sickness, but he lived to declare the works of the Lord. We will not be defeated by our problem, but we will survive, be a conqueror, and declare the works of the Lord. Never give up to any difficulties, ask God for His guidance and grab His promises because He are able to turn our sorrow to be a blessing.

 

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. Psalm 118:17

 

BETWEEN JESUS AND LAZARUS

 

Slide12The glory of God then really happened in Lazarus life, he raised from dead and declared that miracle to all people see him. Lazarus no longer shared about his sickness but he was circulating the good news he had recently. The first statement given by Jesus that Lazarus’ sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God was not wrong but totally correct. Lazarus declared the goodness of God to everyone in every place. Many people came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus Jn.12:9.

 

Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. John 12:9

 

Slide15People wandered to know about what happened to Lazarus recently. Lot of people came not only to Jesus but also to see Lazarus. The Greek words used for ‘see Lazarus’ was EIDO. That word means ‘to see’ but not limited to the eye only, to personally know (i.e. to have seen or have experienced something by firsthand observation), to personally know how, to see how something was done. People will always be amazed for anything happened to another people. That’s why God always ask us to be His witnessed, to declare His works. Every believer is the most powerful and effective tool to declare His majesty. Jesus already taught and ministered lot people at Israel. But when Lazarus raised from the dead, even more many Jews came to see Him and then believed on Jesus Jn.12:11. We can say that Lazarus must be a very famous people in that day so chief priest became very envy and plotted not only to put Jesus to death but also Lazarus Jn.12:10-11. We do not need to be worried with the roaring from the chief priest but let’s see how powerful and effective it was when Lazarus started to declare the goodness from God.

Slide16People around us can not see God and even they do not know about God. The only thing that they can easily understand is what happened in our life. Every believer is the genuine evidence that heaven is so real, God is existing, and God is good. It is very interesting and exciting to know anything from the firsthand evidence. People can expect for honest report, unbiased story, authentic testimony, original experience when they met firsthand witness. We are the firsthand witness of Jesus. Every believer is a new creation in Christ, changed by His amazing love, so we are enabled to declare His goodness. Each believer is called to declare God to their community. Parents need to declare Jesus to the children so they can declare it furthermore to their children.

 

For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; That the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments; Psalm 78:5-7

 

Slide20Although in that days Jesus was visible and accessible directly but people still wanted to know more from Lazarus. Moreover, in this days Jesus is not visible, but we are visible. People can see us, they can talk with us, our children can play with us, so it become our responsibility to declare the goodness of God, declare the righteousness so they can set their hope in God. Let’s open up our mouth and start to declare His goodness. Rather than say ‘gosh’ why don’t we acknowledge the existence of God. The origin of ‘gosh’ started at 1750-1760 as a euphemistic alteration of God (Collins English Dictionary). Do not be ashamed to mention about God in our daily conversation. We are created as a new creation in Christ so we can proclaim about Him, we can declare His goodness. We can express our thankfulness to God in any area of our conversation. Answering common question like ‘how are you’ Slide24can be a starting point to declare His goodness. Talking about weather or about food can be an effective way to declare His majesty work. When we always have God in our heart and our mind we will find that it is not difficult to declare Him in our chat Phil.4:8. But if we never acknowledge Him so it will be very difficult not only to proclaim His goodness but even to trust Him in every condition we have.

 

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8

 

Always think and meditate about His goodness so we can always declare His goodness. A heart filled with complain will declare disappointment, angry, and another negative rubbish. But a heart filled with God will declare and speak of His works. Actually we will never ever run out a thing to declare. The psalmist told us that His wonderful works cannot be recounted, they are more than can be numbered.

 

Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. Psalm 40:5

 

Slide26Let’s fulfil our responsibility as a believer. We are blessed to be a witness about His goodness. We are saved so we can declare the salvation we received from Jesus. We are helped so we can declare that there is a strong hope in Jesus. We are healed so we can proclaim His power over our sickness. By the grace of God, we are what we are so we can declare His works. We are able to always declare Him if we keep walking in His marvellous light. When we come to Him closer and closer, when we draw near to God, we will receive His goodness moreover so we can declare all His works. AMEN.

 

But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, That I may declare all Your works. Psalm 73:28


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