I pray that those that may read this ignore the writer and overlook my ignorance. I hope that you never look to me or what I say more than what it is, the babblings of a sinner whom God chose to show mercy. If you glean anything from these words it is He that breathed life despite me not because of me.
Extra Credit: I mentioned last week a brother sent me a number of articles. Here is another that he sent me entitledChrist Precious. I have since discovered he to maintains a blog and I invite others to visit if you wish to read more by him. W Fulton homepage
Jhn 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Jhn 11:12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Jhn 11:13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
- Why did Jesus refer to it as sleeping?
It should not be difficult to compare this physical death as a revelation of the sinners spiritual death. The ways of sin is death, and in Adam natural man died. Yes the natural man is spiritually dead. It is not that we are dying and may be cured, but are dead and must be renewed. He must be born again. This sinners condition, man cannot offer a remedy. No grace filled servant of God preaches the Word because he believes that the will and mind of a sinner is capable of responding to it. It is blasphemy to think that it is in the abilities of the greatest evangelist to persuade or coax a sinner into confession and repentance. It is the greatest sin to preach to men and to tell them to trust in their free will or a prayer they may make. NO it is ONLY God that raises a man. No man would stand over a decomposing body and say if you decide to live again, you have the power to stand and walk. No man would walk through a cemetery crying to those buried that their god wants them to live and if only you believe you will live. As absurd as this we hear the same out of many of the pulpits ever week. It is not the dead mans choice that regenerates but the healing hands of the Savior alone. The problem may be that Jesus and His Word speaks of death: but many (oh to many) see the flesh and the lost as just taking a rest in sleep that may be awaked if you shout loud enough.
Oh dear reader, I pray to any seeking a remedy, or those resting on their will that the quicker you are made to realize your helplessness the faster you may rely on God and seek Him. Let all of us take away from these verses a vision of our natural state which is dead to the light and without reason of truth unless God in His mercy fills our heart with grace. Let our earnest desire that it pleases Him to quicken us to His Word. I pray that we all, by His grace, cease to depend and look to ourselves and others and instead run to God crying that the one that you lovest is sick.
