The Lazarus Blog-Rise Up, and Come Out!

 "For what is life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." James 4:14

Exactly how much time is "a little"? What will happen tomorrow? These are questions the author poses—but only God can answer. He compares a man's very existence, and all aspects of his life, to vapor. Now, vapor can take many forms—some large, even elaborate—but it cannot hold anything. When it disappears, it’s simply gone. The Bible says, "Naked you came into this world, and naked you will go out"—and just like vapor, holding nothing.

Well what could possibly give man's life meaning and substance? Certainly not fame, money or experiences for we will take none of these things with us. Jesus said, "you must be born again." So, when this life is over you will be eternally with him in the next.

Beloved, death is more certain than the sunrise, for no one is promised tomorrow. Scripture tells us, "it is appointed unto man once to die and then to judgement."

                  "Time is what we want most, but what we use the worst." William Penn 

How are you using the most precious commodity God has given you, time? On selfish ambitions? Conquests to fulfill your own lust? Vain glory? Have you surrendered your most precious commodity back to God to do his will?

When the time God has given you is up, there will be no more given. What you have done you will be judged for and what you did not do, you will be judged for. There is a popular saying that the cemetery is the most valuable piece of real-estate on the planet, due to all of the wasted potential and unfulfilled dreams that went to the grave with the person who never took the time to fulfil them. 

Jesus said, "the day you hear my voice harden not your heart." Is he calling you to surrender your will and accept him as Lord and Savior? To serve? To forgive others, so he can forgive you? One day he will call you to give an account on what you used the time he gave you to accomplish his will, on.

Time never stops or even hesitates and when your time is up its over for eternity. Eternity is not a long time, it’s the absence of time!

"No matter the struggle, show up!"

"No matter the struggle, show up!"

“Recognizing the difference”

“Behold I stand at the door and knock and if any man hears my voice and open the door I will come in and sup with him and he with me.”  Revelation 3:20

Jesus being the mediator between God and man, declared to us in St. John 3:17 “The Father did not send the son into the world to condemn the world but that through him the world would be saved.  Could you imagine Jesus saying, “come to me in order to be saved.” Then when you came to him, he would crush you for being a sinner.   That describes a tyrannical monster not a loving savior.

In our scripture we see Jesus standing at the door of our heart doing the most.  He is knocking and calling you all to get your attention.  I hear him calling you as I’ve heard him call me. Saying, “Son, I love you and I’m right here with you.”  Then HE makes you a promise.  He says that if you open the door, “He will come in.”

This promise has no conditions attached to it. There is no ritual that must be performed, no, special posture or words to be spoken.  You cannot make yourself righteous or clean yourself up in anyway and you cannot buy His favor with any amount.

Now let’s be clear, we in our tradition have used this scripture as if it pertained to the lost and made it about initial conversion.

However, Jesus is speaking to his church in this entire chapter.

He is talking to those of us who have accepted him as our Lord and Savior. Those who are actively working in the ministry.  So, why would Jesus have to do all of this to get our attention and then wait for us to open the door to let him in?

In short, “our ways are not his ways” and “what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” Luke 16:15 add to that addiction, trauma, depression, deconstructing your faith, abandonment, loneliness, mental illness, lust of the flesh, the eyes and pride of life.  Just to mention a few of the things we must deal with in this flesh living in this fallen world.  We become distracted and begin to view life through the lens of these issues and not through the lens of the Holy Spirit and the Word.

So, when Jesus begins knocking and calling us right in the middle of some drama, or just as lust is taking a grip, or when the pain from betrayal of a family member, friend or church member seems unbearable and the flesh wants to fight back or right on the heels of a failure; so, why don’t we answer and let him in? 

Because the flesh, culture and the enemy are all screaming that Jesus came to condemn you.

Jesus came to seek the lost and make disciples, so he only comes to convict to get your attention to bring you closer to himself.  So, how do you open that door to him?  You surrender!

“The greatness of a man’s power, is in the measure of his surrender.”  William Booth

If you asked a person "Who are you"? They are more likely to tell you what they do or their occupation and in their mind these two separate categories mean the same thing.

For anyone this is a dangerous position. However, for the believer it's also sad.

No matter how proud you are of your career path, to identify yourself with it degrades you and can potentially set you up for a disastrous fall.

When God created mankind, not only were you fearfully and wonderfully made, you were made in the image of God himself.

We will never get to know and understand God without Him revealing himself to you; you also will never know all of who you are without Him leading you on this lifelong journey.

Your career, gifts, talents, family name, and socioeconomic status cannot sum up all of who you are.

To Jesus you are his vessel, a bride, servant, friend, priesthood, his righteousness, his child, his image and so much more. 

He died for you while you were his enemy. He wrote your name in the Lambs Book of Life before the foundations of the world.

As your are reading this, you are seated in Christ in heavenly places. Eph 2:6 "when we believed he raised us up to be seated with Christ in heavenly places."

Failure is not your enemy. Failures cannot define you. In Christ you either win or learn. Failure happens and we own it and learn from it.

You are not just worth more than you know; you are literally more than you know.

What stops us in our tracks is putting more faith in the carnal understanding of the temporary highs and lows of this life. And based on that we define ourselves. We then make our decisions from this flawed perspective. 

Your self affirmation should be "by the Grace of God, I am who He says I am."

As we continue in Phil 2:5 "let this mind be in you that was in Jesus Christ..." His attitude and perspective. 

The disciples were bold and confident because they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13. We get our true understanding of who we are by spending time with our Lord and Savior.

Our prayer today: Lord reveal to me all that I am to you. I know putting my faith in my own perspective is wrong and I move forward trusting You more each day.

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