The truth is that the Lord sent Jesus for sinners, not the righteous. The dilemma is that none of us can save ourselves; we need a Savior. Jesus is the Savior; as a matter of fact, the term Christ or Messiah means exactly that, savior. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world! Ephesians 2:8 clearly show us that truth, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Our faith, faith in Jesus, is what releases God’s grace. The word grace in the original Greek is “Charis,” which can be interpreted as a gift. God’s salvation is a gift of grace. 

Until a person fully understands what they have been saved from and saved to, they can never fully appreciate God’s grace. God’s grace, through Jesus Christ, means that I can live in victory here in this life and spend a future eternity in glory in Heaven. 

You might rightly say, “but pastor Vic, I’ve accepted Jesus into my life, and I still deal with sin in my life!” quite frankly, we all deal with sin, even as Christians. The difference is that the Lord sees us as we shall be and not as we are. We are all “works in progress!” that means we are moving from “faith to faith” and “glory to glory.” 

There are two things to consider as we fulfill the Christian walk as Believers. 

• One is that God has sent us the Holy Spirit to live in us and help us to live transformed lives. If we don’t learn to “hear” the Holy Spirit leading, guiding, and teaching us through the Bible and speaking to our hearts, we will always have struggles living a victorious Christian life. 
• The second thing to consider is that we want to change by His grace and in His grace! When we see and appreciate what the Lord has delivered us from, our love for God will be transformed into a life serving Him.

God Sees Value in You!

Another challenge for us to believe is that we have value to God! We can read in the Bible references to God’s great love for us, but we sometimes have a hard time believing it. I love what Jesus says in John 15:14, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant, does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” You see, as a Believer, you stand in a special position; you are a friend of God!

Then there is the powerful statement by the Apostle Paul in Romans 8: 37, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” You see, once you are born-again, you can’t lose your salvation or position in God. Your relationship is not like a set of keys or mobile phone you’ve misplaced; the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Then we have the parables of Jesus attesting to our value to Him.

• Matthew 13:45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” You are the “pearl of great price!”
• Then in Matthew 10:29, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” You see, again, you have value to God.
• Then there are the examples of your value to God found in Luke 15. You are the one in 99, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. You are the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son; you are all redeemed by God’s grace.

Change of View.

Your value is not in how you see yourself but in how God sees you! The problem is that we prefer to believe what the world says of us or what people say about us. None of us are perfect, but we are getting there, and one day when we see Jesus face to face, we will hear the words, “Well done good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21 & 23).” All of us have been lost in life, but now we have the love of the Father, the sacrifice of the Son, and the compass of the Holy Spirit living in us.

As a child, I would wish I was in someone else’s family. My family was poor, and my parents were deaf mutes. So, I always wished I was in my friend’s family. I would even think that perhaps I was adopted and my real parents were famous and wealthy. Over the years, I’ve learned that many people have felt that way growing up. Well, here is the good news, you do belong to a new family, the family of God. 

Until you see yourself as valued beyond measure by God, you will always doubt and waver in your faith that He will take care of you. Imagine how different your life would be if you found out that you were a prince or a princess in real life. Your perspective would change, your priorities would change, and your life would change! Well, God says you are. A son or daughter of the King! You are royalty!

The Faith Walk.

For everything in the Word to come to pass requires that we “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Spiritually speaking, your Father is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. That means you have to combat the lies that the devil has implanted in your mind and replace them with the truth of God. 1 Peter 2:9, “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 marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” Since faith is the key to grace, let’s look at God’s kind of faith.

Faith means that you believe what God has said in His Word, and you, therefore, act like you believe, even when you have doubts and fears. All of the great men and women of the Bible had moments of doubt and fear, but they chose to believe in God and received the crown of glory. 

Don’t let your past define your future. Others may point out your failures and mistakes; however, it is what God says about you that matters, and He says you are His.

For example, if I showed you a USD 20 bill and asked what is it worth, you would respond 100 dollars. If I folded the $20 bill in half, would it reduce its value? What if I crumpled it up? Would it still be worth 20 dollars? Finally, if I stepped on it and ground it into the ground, what would it be worth? Of course, the answer is $20. It is not the outward appearance that produces the value. In the same way, you have value in God’s eyes, and nothing or no one can diminish your value to Him.

The Process: Seeing yourself in a different light.

The way you see yourself in the light of Christ is a process. It begins with gratitude and gratefulness for what God has given you. Our motivation to change is recognizing God’s grace, which becomes the only thing that should make us want to change. That change is called transformation. It begins with a change of heart and direction in your life; this is called repentance. Then you will find that the Holy Spirit will lead you in new ways of thinking and behaving. In other words, the change takes place on the inside and produces its effect on the outside. Proverbs tells us that as a person thinks, so that person is. You see, it begins with seeing yourself from God’s perspective. 

Romans 12: 1 (1) Sacrifice yourself (give up your ways) and (2) renew your mind. (repentance, a changed mind). “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

What is His will in this verse? It is to treat you like a son or daughter with access to every blessing in Heaven.

Seeing your Father in Heaven Accurately.

The gospel writer says in 1 John 3:1, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” It is important to avoid making comparisons between your Father in Heaven and earthly fathers. Earthly fathers, try as they may, are all imperfect. On the other hand, your heavenly Father is perfect in every way. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” We come to Jesus as we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way.

As Christians, we are new creations! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. This means we must discard all guilt, shame, and fear of the past. As a new creation, you get to start over again, but even then, the enemy of your soul, the devil, will try to bring up your past. Just tell the devil that the old you is dead, and you are a new creation in Christ Jesus. As a new creation Christian, the devil has no authority or power over you. “Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7. That is a promise, Submit to God first, then resist the devil’s lies, and he will flee.

Closing Example

I read about an example of how your perspective can change your attitude. “In certain parts of Africa, a groom must pay a bride price to a woman’s father in order to marry a woman. Usually, this dowry might be four or five cows. If she is very beautiful or a good cook, her price is six cows. In one village, there was a woman who was very ugly and she was a horrible cook. No one wanted to marry her. But a man came to the village and fell in love with her. He went to her father and said, “I want to marry your daughter; how many cows do you want for her?” The father did not want to ask for much because he knew how ugly she was, but before he could answer, the man said, “I will give you 12 cows for your daughter because I love her.” A few years later, a beautiful woman came back to visit the village. It was the girl who had once been ugly. Once she knew she was worth 12 cows, she became very beautiful. God was willing to pay such a high price for us because to Him we are very valuable.” Anon.

You see, how you see yourself will determine your destiny. I encourage you to see yourself as the Lord sees you, as a son or daughter!

Doubt, Anxiety, and Fear

Doubt and anxiety indicate that we have not completely surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ. A lack of assurance in our salvation and/or Jesus’ ability to keep us in any situation or circumstance shows that we don’t fully trust in Him, our Lord, and Savior. Fear is the enemy of faith or confidence, and fear keeps us looking at the problem instead of the solution, which is found in Jesus. The Apostle James also has something to say about the lack of assurance or faith. James 1:6, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

Jesus goes to great lengths teaching to us totally trust God in Matthew 6:25-34! In these verses, Jesus tells us not to worry or become preoccupied about life, worrying about what you will eat, drink or wear. You might ask, well, how do I do that? Let’s be honest; we all have concerns about quality-of-life issues, but the key to understanding this principle is found in verse 33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” The point here is about priorities! Are we seeking God’s issues and concerns first, and are we acting righteously, or doing right in God’s eyes, in all our actions and behaviors? Jesus promises that if we put Him first in our life, all the things we need will follow. Jesus makes it clear that your heavenly Father knows what you need and what will be added to you if you will keep Him first in your heart and mind. 

Something I have tried to keep as my priorities is God first, spouse next, then children, church, and job or employment. There will be times when these priorities get moved about but always keep the Lord first. You see, keeping Him first will help you be successful in all the other priorities of life.

As I have said before, a sure sign of not trusting in the Lord is fear, anxiety, and worry; they are the opposite of assurance or confidence. Many have developed the habit of worrying even from childhood. Parents who are constantly anxious can transfer those traits to their children. Some have had near traumatic or traumatic events that have started them down the road of anxiety and worry. The good news is that the Apostle Paul shows us how to overcome this destructive habit in our lives. Paul says in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” So, if we are prone to worry and anxiety, we need to develop the habit of prayer and supplication with thanksgiving when making our needs known to God. 

Don’t tell everyone about your problems or concerns. Learn to rely on the Lord by telling Him, for the Lord has the authority and power to meet all your needs. If you tell others, choose people you can trust to pray and intercede for you.

Pattern for Prayer

A well-known pattern for prayer is the acronym A.C.T.S. 

1. A is for Adoration. Adoration is worship. Worship is different from praise in that praise is being thankful for what God has done, whereas worship is being thankful for who God is. Worship is when we come to the attitude of saying, “Lord, knowing you is enough!” 
2. C is for Confession. Confession is acknowledging our weakness in walking in righteousness. It is recognizing that we are a “work in progress” and committing to doing better. It is recognizing the goal of Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
3. T is for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is how we become aware of all that God has done and is doing in our lives. Our focus is on Him rather than what we can get from Him. Philippians 4: 6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
4. S is for Supplication. Supplication is when we ask the Lord for our needs and the needs of those around us. Worship, confession, and thanksgiving place us in the proper place to enter the Throne Room of God and ask for our needs. 

While we are praying the ACTS sequence, we should always be open and expecting to hear from the Lord. Too many well-meaning Christians have a one-way conversation with God, never expecting to get assurance, comfort, and direction from the Lord. Remember, prayer is not simply a religious act. It is a relational act; you are communicating, having a dialogue with the Lord; make sure you leave time for Him to speak to you. Expect to hear an answer, in your heart and spirit, and then do it.

Assurance of Faith

The Lord has provided several avenues to help us grow in having faith or assurance in God. 

1. The Lord has given us His Word in the Bible. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2Timothy 3:16)
2. The Lord has also given us the presence of His Holy Spirit, who lives in us. The Holy Spirit is our guide, teacher, and witness to what God has done in us. Also, let us not forget that the Holy Spirit is the seal of ownership by the Lord, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)
3. The Lord is also transforming our minds with personal revelations of who He is, and as a result, we see changes in how we think and act. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

These are some of the proofs that God loves us and has a plan for us that will glorify Him.

There are at least five areas of assurance that we must settle in our lives:

1. Assurance of salvation. We are born-again and now have eternal life with God. Very importantly, nothing or no one can take that away from us. Romans 8:38, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That sounds pretty thorough and complete to me!
2. Assurance of answered prayer. God’s words in the Bible assure us that He hears our prayers. But remember, prayer is a dialogue, which means you speak, and he listens, then He speaks, and you listen. This is relational communication.
   
   John 15:7, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”
   
   1 John 5:14, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”
3. Assurance of victory. The Apostle Paul states that because death and sin have been conquered, we can have victory through Jesus Christ. When Jesus ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, the Holy Spirit descended to the earth to live in every born-again believer of Jesus Christ.
   
   1 Corinthians 15:56, “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
   
   1 John 5:4, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
4. Assurance of forgiveness. The Bible teaches that salvation and forgiveness are by grace. That means you can’t earn them, nor do you deserve them. It is a gift of God. This doesn’t mean that you are free to behave sinfully. This forgiveness means that as you pursue His righteousness and right living, you are bound to make mistakes and stumble, and the Lord will not cast you away. Very much like when your children were small, you didn’t cast away your child because they made mistakes.
   
   Ephesians 1:7, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”
   
   Colossians 1:13 “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”
5. Assurance of guidance. To receive the guidance or direction of the Holy Spirit is a process. Learning to hear the voice of the Lord takes practice, and you will probably make mistakes along the way; this is natural and normal. Don’t give up! God can speak to us in our minds or heart, through others, through the Bible, as well as through the circumstances of life. Don’t underestimate the Holy Spirit’s ability to communicate with you, but you must recognize His voice. When my wife calls me on the phone, I never ask, “who is this,” because I recognize her voice. In the same way, you learn to recognize the voice or actions of the Holy Spirit.
   
   John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
   
   John 16:13, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, let me say this; there is a difference between faith and assurance. Faith sees into the supernatural, and faith brings the Kingdom of God to the earth. Assurance, on the other hand, causes one not to be afraid, embarrassed or intimidated in living the Christ-centered life or sharing what Jesus has done for you. We need faith to please God (Hebrews 11:6); we need assurance or confidence to convince others of the truthfulness of the Bible and the plan of salvation available to all. In the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

1. Changing water into wine at Cana in John 2:1–11, Jesus has authority over science, changing water into wine.
2. Healing the royal official’s son in Capernaum in John 4:46–5, Jesus has authority over sickness.
3. Healing the paralytic at Bethesda in John 5:1–15, Jesus has authority over paralysis in the body.
4. Feeding the 5000 in John 6:5–14, Jesus has authority provision, feeding 5000.
5. Jesus walking on water in John 6:16–24, Jesus has authority over the physical order of nature.
6. Healing the man blind from birth in John 9:1–7, Jesus has authority over blindness, both physical and spiritual.
7. The raising of Lazarus from the dead in John 11:1–45, Jesus has authority over life and death.

The Death of Lazarus, John 11:1-16 

This chapter opens with Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, sending word that Lazarus, whom Jesus loved, was sick. The word love, in this case, is from the Greek Philio, which describes a dearly loved friend. Philio love is different from God’s love for us, which is Agape in Greek, which is unconditional love that does not depend on performance or worthiness. Agape love is unearned and undeserved; it is a gift of Grace! However, in this case, Jesus is getting word that his friend Lazarus is sick.

Upon hearing about Lazarus, Jesus says in John 11:4, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Jesus always saw life as an opportunity to glorify the Father. At this point, Jesus decides to stay an additional two days. I’ve read about a Jewish tradition that the spirit of a person does not leave the body until after three days. Perhaps Jesus delayed His journey to make sure that there were no doubts that Lazarus was truly dead. 

Walking in the light.

Jesus then announces to the disciples His intention of going to Lazarus in Bethany. The disciples remind Him that the religious leaders seek to “stone Him to death.” Jesus speaks to them this puzzling statement in verses 9-10, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” This statement is so important for us to understand.

Walking in the light means walking in close communication with God the Father. John 8:12, “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.” To be a true follower of Jesus means that we are in communication with the Lord, this is the relationship that God desires for His children. The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 5:8, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” Without communication, there can be no relationship. God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit living in the Believer. 

Walking in the darkness means walking in our own strength or emotions. So, what Jesus said is that although there are people who wish to kill Me, I will only do what the Father tells me to do. Neither the threats of the Pharisees nor the love I have for Lazarus and his sisters will move me. I can only do what the Father shows me to do. Look at what Jesus says in John 5:19, “Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”

This is powerful instruction for us. Through the Holy Spirit, we are led by the Father; only what He says will He perform. Listen to what the Lord says in Isaiah 55:11 “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”  Only What God says will God perform, not what we want unless what we want lines up with His Word. 

I Am the Resurrection and the Life, John 11:17-27

Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days when Jesus encounters Martha, Lazarus’ sister. Martha says to Jesus in verse 21, “… “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise   

When Martha heard Jesus say, “your brother will rise again, she said, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Martha was thinking about the final resurrection at the end of time however, Jesus corrects her and says “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? 27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Here we have one of Jesus’ most powerful “I AM” statements, “I am the resurrection and the life.” If one believes that Jesus is God in the flesh, that He died for our sins, and is totally forgiven, he will not die. “Never die” in this sense means that we will never be separated from God! Yes, we will all experience physical death, but for a Believer, death will be a passing from an earthly life to a heavenly one. 

I remember an expression, “If you are born once, you die twice; if you are born twice, you die once!” This means if you are only born physically, you will die twice. Once a physical death and then an eternal death. The Bible states in    

However, if you are born twice, a physical birth and a spiritual birth (born-again), you only die once, a physical death, and then go to be with Jesus forever.

Jesus and Death, the Last Enemy, John 11:28-37

Jesus then goes to the tomb of Lazarus, where He meets Mary, the other sister of Lazarus. “32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” here we get a glimpse into the humanity of Jesus, He wept over the grief and sadness of His dear friends. Sometimes we forget that Jesus experienced all the trials, temptations, and emotions that human beings experience. It is in this humanity of Jesus that we have hope. We can never say that God does not understand what we are going through because Jesus went through it all for us. 

• 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
• Hebrews 2:18, “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”

Some of the mourners who were present had a thought which is probably familiar to all of us; couldn’t God do something before now? “37 And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” this would be a natural thought to have, but this kind of thought overlooks the purpose of God; that Jesus be glorified, and thus the Father glorified in Him. We all know Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” In this verse, there are two conditions; one is to love God, and the evidence of this kind of love is obedience to the teachings of the Bible. The second condition is that we are called to His purpose. As Jesus demonstrated, time and time again, He only did what the Father showed Him to do. We have the Holy Spirit living in us, and we must learn how to be led or directed by the Holy Spirit of God to bring glory to Him. It isn’t always about us and what we want or think should happen. It is about Him, our Lord and Savior.

Lazarus Raised from the Dead, John 11:38-44

Finally, Jesus stands before the tomb, a tomb like the one He would be placed in after His crucifixion. The tomb was a cave with a large boulder or stone rolled in front of it to seal it. “39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone. “Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”Martha and Mary still did not understand what Jesus meant when He said, “I Am the resurrection and the life!” They did not comprehend that Jesus had all authority and power over the physical realm as well as the spiritual realm. “40 Jesus said to Martha, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 

“41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” Jesus made this statement to give evidence that God the Father hears the obedient Son to all those then and now.

After saying those things, Jesus, 43… cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” What a sight that must have been, to see one who was dead for four days rise up still in graveclothes, frightening perhaps for a moment, and then joy when they removed the graveclothes and saw Lazarus standing in perfect health.

Lazarus was raised from physical death toward physical life, and although Lazarus would die again, as is the fate of all mankind, he became the focus of God’s glory. His resurrection demonstrated that even death is swallowed up in the victory of Jesus Christ. There is no miracle, too small or too great, that the Lord can’t perform. What God did then, God can do today, for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

Some mistakenly think that grace means I can do anything I want or I can get anything I ask for from God; all I must do is have faith. This kind of thinking is such an abuse of God’s grace. One can only have true faith in what the Lord has said or revealed; grace and faith are bound together. 

In Romans 4, the Apostle Paul explains the difference between grace and works. Grace is God’s work provided by Jesus on the Cross of Calvary. Again, Grace is God’s gift and cannot be earned or deserved. From God’s point of view, His Grace is freely given to those who believe the gift of God is available and then act upon the gift being offered. Notice that I said to believe that the gift is available; that’s faith, and acting on that faith, that’s grace fulfilled. It is a challenge to say you believe in God, that’s the easy part, but you must also act or behave as you believe. Faith is not just words; it is an action too.

Abraham is our Example.

The Apostle Paul uses Abraham, “the father of faith,” as an example. Remember, Abraham was in his 90s when the Lord promised that he would be the father of nations. At this time, he still had no children. Now listen to what the Lord said about Abraham, Romans 4:17,”(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” The last two verses are so important; Abraham did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief; he was strengthened in faith because he was fully convinced that what God promises God will deliver! Remember James 1:6, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

Abraham’s testimony was that he did not waver in faith, and because of his steadfastness, Abraham was declared righteous. The same is true for us; look at verses 23-24; now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. Can you say amen to that! 

Jesus Walks on the Sea of Galilee

Now, look at the fifth miracle in the Gospel of John, Jesus walking on water. This event is found in John 6:15, Matthew 14:22, and Mark 6:45. Three accounts of the same miracle from three different perspectives.

John 6:15, “Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. They tried to make Jesus King, and Jesus would not take glory for Himself. Jesus always gave glory to the Father. We, in like manner, need to be careful that we don’t take for ourselves the glory of what God does through us. We must be mindful that it is not about us, but it is all about Jesus!

16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18 Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. 19 So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. 20 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.”

The first thing to notice is that Jesus sent the disciples ahead by themselves; he did not go with them. There are times in our lives when Jesus will allow tests to come into our lives to help us see who we are really trusting in and where our faith lies. While we may feel like the Lord “doesn’t care,” we must assure ourselves that “He will never leave us nor forsake us!” That’s why we should never trust in our emotions when it comes to issues of faith. As a friend of mine used to say, 

• “Feelings come, and feelings go- 
• Feelings can be deceiving-
• But the word of God is always true-
• No matter what your feeling.”

The Gospel of Matthew account gives us additional information about this miracle. In Matthew 14:22,“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Jesus sent the disciples away in a boat… Hmmm! Was this a test? Of course, Jesus knew what He was going to do.

25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

At this point, the disciples still did not understand the power and authority that Jesus was anointed with. They caught glimpses of who He was, but in the middle of a crisis, they forgot who He was and what He was capable of. They panicked when they saw a “figure” walking on the sea. It is understandable; it was the night the winds were blowing, the rain was falling, and it was probably impossible to see clearly under the conditions. However, they recognized His voice, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” How comforting it is in the midst of a storm to recognize the voice of Jesus saying, don’t worry, I am still in control!

Of all the disciples, Peter had the courage and faith to say, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Sometimes in life, you just have to get out of the boat that everyone else is in and trust Jesus. Notice that as long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he walked on water; wow! However, the moment Peter took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the storm around him, he began to sink. That is a lesson for us; when life’s trials and tribulations come, keep your eyes on Jesus! 

Peter wavered in faith; he saw the storm with his natural eyes instead of seeing the One who had authority over all of nature with his spiritual eyes. It would be easy to criticize Peter, but how would you do in the same situation? Regardless, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water! Listen to what Jesus said to Peter, “And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” This was not a harsh rebuke or chastisement but a challenge to Peter and all of us today, when we waver and doubt, not to feel defeated and crushed but to learn to be a better faith-walker. 

The storms of life will come to all of us, and the question is, “do you want to be alone in the storm or have Jesus with you? Notice that when Jesus got into the boat, the storm stopped. The safest place to be in life is in the company of Jesus.

From Faith to Faith

In the Gospel of Mark account in Mark 6:51, Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. 52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.” What Mark is pointing out is that they were amazed at what Jesus and Peter had done when they should have realized that this is was normal behavior for Jesus and Believers in Jesus. Normal Christianity is filled with signs, wonders, and miracles for those who can see with spiritual eyes and faith. Mark points out that they forgot about the past miracles, in this case the feeding of the 5000,  which was meant to be a building block to see even greater things. The apostle Paul says in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”  We all start with a measure of faith (Romans 12:3) as we encounter life’s challenges and represent our Lord Jesus. As we successfully face each challenge, we grow in our faith; if we will remember what Jesus has done for us in the past, step by step, faith to faith.

Your faith will grow as you remember that Jesus loves you and that the Lord has a plan for your life, a good plan. Just trust in the Lord!