Remove the stone of your grave.

 Meditation John 11:31-40

1. The Jews who were in the house with Mary saw her hastily rising up and going out followed her saying that she is going to the grave to weep there. (V31)
2. Mary came to the place where Jesus was and fell at his feet saying if he was there his brother would not have died. (V32)
3. When Jesus saw Mary weeping and the Jews who came with her weeping too he groaned in his Spirit and was troubled. (V33)
4. Jesus asked them where they have laid Lazarus and they said to him to come and see. (V34)
5. Jesus wept and the Jews said to themselves how much he loved Lazarus.  (V35,36)
6. Some people said if Christ can open the eyes of the blind He could have stopped Lazarus from dying too. (V37)
7. Jesus groaned again and he came to the grave. The grave was a cave and a stone was laid on it. (V38)
8. Jesus told them to remove the stone. Martha said to him that Lazarus will stink and he was dead four days ago. (V39)
9. Jesus said to her again that if she believes she will see the glory of God. (V40)

LIFE APPLICATION:

Moving the heart of Christ:

There is something very striking in this chapter about Mary that moved the very heart of God to do a miracle which was not there in Martha, that the spirit of God shed his light upon. Let us dig in a little deeper.

1. Be still:

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
John:11:20

I would like to compare this to the sower's parable. Some seeds sprout easily but faded fast, but some patiently gave fruits in its time.

Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
Matthew:13:5

And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Matthew:13:6

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
Luke:8:15

Are we able to bring forth fruit with patience? Are we able to be still and wait for God like Mary did ? Let's examine ourselves.

2.  Rising up and going out:

The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
John:11:31

Mary rose up and went out of the place of mourning. She refused to  identify herself with the mourners but rose above that level to find the one who can make things whole.

Are we willing to shake the shackles to meet our creator? Are we still seeking comforter among the mourners or are we willing to look up to the hills from where our help comes from?

3. Mary's eyes were opened:

Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
John:11:32

There is something very interesting in this verse.
Mary came to the place where Jesus was. She did not meet him on the way as Martha did.

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
John:11:20

So where was Jesus when Mary met him? Let me take you further into the deeper waters. The word of God says,

Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Ephesians:1:20

Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Ephesians:1:21

Yes! Halleluyah! Mary rose up to meet Christ in the heavenly places as the king of kings and Lord of Lords seated on the throne and her eyes was opened to see him as the King.

The  eyes of Martha was able to perceive Christ as a man. But the eyes of Mary was opened to see  Christ as God in all his glory, that she could not but bow down and fall at his feet and beg for mercy.

Dear Child of God!
 1. Are you willing to shake your shackles?
2. Are you willing to rise up to the heavenly places where Christ is seated through praise and prayer?
3. Are our eyes opened to see Christ as the King of kings and Lord of Lords and humble ourselves at his feet? Then our miracle is very close to us.

 4. The attitude:

Both Mary and Martha asks the same question to Christ. But let us probe into the attitude difference.

Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
John:11:21

Then when Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
John:11:32

Mary exhibits a high degree of humility as her eyes are opened to see Christ as God and falls at his feet.

Are we able to see Christ as the Lord of our situations? Let's examine ourselves.

5. Mary wept:

Nothing moves God's heart more than tears. He loves us so much that when Christ sees our tears he groans in his heart and he chooses to weep with us.

When Jesus, therefore, saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.
John:11:33

Let us see some more examples from the scriptures as to how God's heart is moved with the tears of his people.

A. Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third-day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.
2 Kings:20:5

God heals Hezekiah seeing his tears.

B. And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and beseeched him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.
Esther:8:3

Esther be sought the king for mercy with tears.

C. Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
Psalm:56:8

Our tears are collected in the bottle of God.

D. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
Isaiah:25:8

God himself will wipe away our tears.

E. And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
Exodus:3:7

God remembers our very tears. He loves us. He weeps with us in our sorrow. He is not a distant God. He loves us intimately and passionately.

So let us humble ourselves and with a steadfast faith, We will cry out to God. He will definitely reward us and grant us our hearts desires.

 THE DEAD DREAMS :

All of us are born and grew up with lots of dreams. But in the meanwhile, most of our dreams and visions died because of various situations.

We get educated with dreams in our minds to do well. We get married with dreams of a beautiful home. We get children dreaming of someday they will be the best on Earth... We go to a job that someday we will be rich. ...

Our whole lives surround these dreams. But in reality when situations are not conducive our dreams slowly fall sick. They begin to fade and one day comes when they die.

We bury them thinking they can never be a part of us.
But then Christ comes to the cave where we buried our dreams as he went to meet Lazarus. He asks us,

And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
John:11:34

Can we today call Christ to see the grave where we buried our dreams? Or are we going to say like Martha that Lord it has been four days there and it stinks?

Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
John:11:39

Today is the day! Christ wants to interfere in the very dead and decomposed dreams and situations of ours. All it needs is a simple formula.

HUMILITY+FAITH= MIRACLES.

The RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE

Next meditation John chapter 11:21-30

1. Martha said to Jesus that if he was there her brother would not have died. (V21)
2. Martha said that but still whatever christ asks of God, God will give to him. (V22)
3. Jesus said to her that her brother will rise up again. (V23)
4. Martha said to him that she knows that her brother will resurrect on the last day. (V24)
5. Jesus said to her that he is the resurrection and life. He that believes in him though he was dead shall live. (V25)
6. And if one lives and believes shall not die. Jesus asked her if she believes it. (V26)
7. Martha said to him that she believes that he is Christ the Son of God which is to come into the world. (V27)
8. Martha after saying these words went her way and said to Mary secretly that the master has come and is calling for her. (V28)
9. Mary as soon as she heard that she rose quickly to meet him. (V29)
10. Jesus by then did not enter the town but remained in the place where Martha met him. (V30)

 Life application:

 Identifying with Martha:

Reasoning the problem with a human mind:

Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
John:11:21

Many times when we come to God with our problems we ask these questions. We ask,
1. why am I in this situation?
2. If God was in the midst of this situation then this would not have happened?
3. Is God really in control?
4. Does God really cares for me? If Yes, then why do these problems happen only for me?

These are the few questions we ask in the midst of bad times. We try to reason, we try to solve and we try our best to look strong and settle in all with human strength.

2. Looking out for intercessors:

When we are done with trying to reason, we look out for people to intercede and cry for us and with us. We want someone to pity on our behalf and pray for us and thus feel a little at ease.

But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
John:11:22

3. The word of God In power:

Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
John:11:23

Then the word of God comes directly hitting us with all power, hitting the very soul of ours dividing the soul and the spirit that God is going to work miracles and that those dry and dead bones shall come back alive.

4. Trying to identify with the natural:

Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
John:11:24

Many times we compromise with the promises God gives. We say it is okay to have lack. It is okay for me in this same state... how are these situations going to change....? May be as days goes by I will get adjusted without it...Maybe it might happen later in God's time.... or maybe it is not the will of God for me to have this blessing...... and on and on and on......

5. The Resurrection and Life:

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
John:11:25

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
John:11:26

This is where Christ works on our unbelief. He says, HE IS THE RESURRECTION and HE is the LIFE. He says to our dead situations that he will not resurrect them but HE himself will be that resurrection and he himself will be that life in us. Do not give way to unbelief dear child of God.... because God works in supernatural and then brings it to pass in the natural.

The resurrected Christ lives in us as our living hope. We will take victory over this situation too.

The battle has to be won in the spiritual realm through faith. Faith is the currency in the spiritual world. We can tap on to every miracle through faith. If we can believe we will see the glory of God in this impossible situation of ours too.

6. Words of faith:

She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
John:11:27

God is just waiting for some words of faith uttered from our lips... that he can take those words of ours and work out miracles for us.
Today, can we speak a few words of faith.
A. Are you in lack, acknowledge God as your PROVIDER
B. Are you disturbed emotionally? Let him be your PEACE.
C. You want God to speak on your behalf, let him be your ADVOCATE.

Faith can move mountains. Faith can restore unto you everything lost. Our faith joined to that of Christ brings healings and miracles.

 If we lack faith let us pray that God will give us faith enough to believe for a change to happen.

Let us not stagger in faith. 

And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:
Romans:4:19


He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Romans:4:20

If we do not stagger in faith we will receive what God has promised for us.

Let the spirit of God fill us more with his faith that we will conquer those areas and receive those mighty miracles right from the hands of God. Amen.

The manifold works of an almighty God.

Meditation John 10:31-42

Life application:

If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
John:10:37

But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
John:10:38

 The works of God:

1. The very heavens above us are the work of the finger of God.

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
Psalm:8:3

2. God leads his children In the right way and shows his works to them.

And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.
Psalm:107:7

Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psalm:107:8

3. He brings his people out of darkness and shadow of death and thus shows his works to them.

He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
Psalm:107:14

Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psalm:107:15

4. He sends his word and heal his people. He protects them from destruction. This is a work of God.

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
Psalm:107:20

Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psalm:107:21

5. He makes storms calm. He make them glad because they be quiet. This is a work of God.

He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psalm:107:29

Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psalm:107:31

6. We are the works of God. It is God who created us.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
Psalm:139:14

7. He makes the war cease, breaks the bow and cuts the spear.

Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
Psalm:46:8

8. The works of God make us glad and his thoughts for us are very deep.

Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
Psalm:46:8

The word of God says the thoughts God has for us are very deep. 

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Jeremiah:29:11

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Isaiah:55:8

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:9

People who have seen the mighty works of God served the Lord.

And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.
Joshua:24:31

This is why David says he will not die but live and declare the works of God.

I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.
Psalm:9:1

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

Make me understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.
Psalm:119:27.

We have meditated on the works of God and how we are to exalt his works as David did. Now let us go further and examine the kind of works God expects from us.

 1. Let us do good works that our light shine before men.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew:5:16

2. We ought to commit our works to the Lord that he will establish our thoughts

Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
Proverbs:16:3

3. Us believing Christ has been sent by God is a work of God.

Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
John:6:29

4. Faith and works must go together.

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
James:2:17

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
James:2:20

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
James:2:26

So dear children of God, let us learn to do good works worthy of God's glory. Let us not cease acknowledging the mighty works of God's hands either.... that CHRIST will be glorified in and through us. Amen.

Levels of faith

Meditation John 6:1-15

1. Jesus went over the sea of Galilee and multitudes followed him for miracles. (V1,2)
2. Jesus went up the mountain with his disciples. The Jewish Passover feast was about to come ( V3,4)
3. Jesus looking at the big crowd of people and asked Philip, where they can buy food for all of them to eat. ( V5)
4. Jesus knew what he was about to do, but still asked of him to prove him. ( V6)
5. Philip answered that bread worth two hundred penny will not be enough for so many. (V7)
6. Simon Peter said there was a lad having five barley loaves and two small fishes but it is not sufficient for many. ( v8,9)
7. Jesus told the men to sit down on the grass and they were 5000. (V10)
8. Jesus took the bread and gave thanks and told the disciples to distribute.  They did the same with the fish too. (V11)
9. After they all ate Jesus told them to collect the remaining fragments(v12)
10. They collected 12 baskets with the fragments of the barley bread (v13)
11. The men who saw the miracles said he is a prophet who came into the world. (V14)
15. They intended to take Christ forcibly and make him a king. But he moved away(v15)

LIFE  APPLICATION:

1. Levels of Faith:
 Let us see the three levels as portrayed in this meditation.

Level of faith 1:
Seeing impossibilities:


This is how Philip viewed the situation.
Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
John:6:7

Philip saw the situation with physical eyes.
Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
John:6:7

Zacharias saw his impossibility

And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
Luke:1:18

Abraham saw his impossibility:
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
Genesis:17:17

Level of faith 2:
Simon Peter knew what he had.

One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
John:6:8
There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
John:6:9

Widow of zeraphath:
And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
1 Kings:17:12

Level of faith 3:
Knowing what God can do:
Jesus knew what he was about to do.
And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
John:6:11

Elijah knew what God can do

For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
1 Kings:17:14

 According to our faith let us obey and see miracles.
And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Luke:5:5

Life APPLICATION 2:
Let us examine our lives if we are like the barley breads that we are able to feed the multitudes.
And when Gideon came, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.
Judges:7:13

GOD compares Gideon to the barley bread.. that was baked on both sides. came rolling and hit the midianite camps..

God wants us to be like these breads made from the word of God and of the Holy Spirit that will crush the camps of the enemy.

 Also the little we have let us give to Jesus... he will make it a blessing to many. Amen.

JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH

 MEDITATION John 4:45-54

1. The Galileans received him for the miracles he did in the marriage of Cana. ( V45)
2. There was a nobleman in Capernaum and his son was sick. ( v46)
3. He be sought Jesus to come and heal his son as he was sick unto death. ( V47)
4. Jesus said if they don't see miracles they will not believe (V48)
5. He again called Jesus to come and heal his son or else he will die. (V49)
6. Jesus told him to go his way and that his son is living. He believed the word of God and he went his way. ( V50)
7. And as he was going home his servants met him on the way and told him that his son is living. (V51)
8. Then when the nobleman asked the time when his son recovered it was the same hour when Jesus spoke those words. (V52,53)
9. This is the second miracle Jesus did in Galilee. (V54)

LIFE APPLICATION:
1. There was this nobleman whose son was about to die coming to Jesus for a miracle.

Receiving Miracles from GOD:
I am summarising this life applications as steps to follow in receiving miracles from God.

1. Hearing the word of God:

The nobleman could figure out that Christ is the giver of life and he knew that CHRIST can help him out hearing people talk about Christ.

Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
John:6:68

The WORD of CHRIST gives eternal life.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
1 John:1:1

2. Believing what we hear:
Faith comes by hearing and by hearing the word of God.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans:10:17

3. As this faith grows in us by hearing and hearing the word of God it has the ability to move mountains.

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Matthew:17:20

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
Matthew:21:21

Faith needs to grow. Again I EMPHASIS  on this. FAITH GROWS ONLY BY HEARING THE WORD OF GOD.

 Jesus deals with this man's faith in (V48). The WORD of GOD says, many have got their dead risen up by Faith.

Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
Hebrews:11:35

My brother, My Sister; how is your faith? Is our faith wavering?

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
James:1:6

God does not want us to stagger in faith
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Romans:4:20

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Matthew:21:22

Ask, believe and pray. You will receive what you need.

4. By faith we win the battle in the Spiritual realm:
By faith, we move God's heart to avenge for us. (V49)

And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luke:18:7

I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Luke:18:8

If God can see this kind of faith in us he can never stop but avenge us speedily.

5. When the battle is won in the spirit realm, the word of God is spoken..(v50)  this is the spoken word of GOD. The RHEMA.

He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.
Psalm:147:18

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Isaiah:55:11

This word goes forth to accomplish what it is spoken for.

6. In the physical realm, we ought to believe and obey. (V51) The nobleman believed and went and received his son alive. ( V51-54)

What do you need in LIFE? Do you need a miracle? Nothing moves the heart of God like Faith.

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
Habakkuk:2:4

The JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH. Dear Child of God, don't give up on God. Don't waver in faith. He is our abba father. He knows the deepest desires of our hearts even before we utter a word...

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Matthew:7:11

God wants us to be filled with good things in our life. He is a good, good father. He does not wish anything bad for his beloved children. So ask of him and you will receive that your joy may be full.

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
John:15:7

May God bless you...