Mary Magdalene-A Faithful Disciple of Jesus Christ

Primary Witness of the Resurrection

Mary Magdalene as one of the leading women who followed Jesus Christ. She witnessed some of the most important events in all of recorded history--the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. She was such an important witness of these historical events that each of the four gospels mentions her. She was a wealthy woman who had served Jesus Christ during his ministry and given him financial support.

The four gospels were written from four different perspectives over a period of 30 to 40 years. The fact that each gospel names her shows that she was well known as the primary witness to the resurrection.

The other disciples, except John, had forsaken Jesus Christ and fled from his crucifixion and burial. However, Mary Magdalene remained close to him, and she was the first person to see Jesus Christ freed from the chains of death.

Seven Demons

Why was Mary Magdalene such a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ? Well one reason is that she was very thankful because Jesus Christ had cast seven demons out of her as recorded in Luke 8:1-2.
"1And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, 2And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils," (KJV)

Mary was not the only woman who followed Jesus Christ or whom he had healed of diseases of mind and body. Yet, Luke specifically mentions her because Christ had cast seven demons out of her. Jesus Christ had set her free from the bondage of the demonic world.

Prostitute Allegation

Mary Magdalene has often been misunderstood and has been accused of being a prostitute. However, the Bible nowhere identifies her as a prostitute. Why then do many people think that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute? Luke records an incident in which a woman who was a public sinner washed the feet of Jesus Christ with her tears. Some people think that Mary Magdalene was this woman. This incident is recorded in Luke 7:36-39:

"36And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. 37And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner." (KJV)
However, scholars think Mary Magdalene is likely not the same woman called a sinner in Like 7:39 because Luke does not provide the name of the woman in Luke 7, but he specifically names Mary Magdalene in Luke 8:1-3.

Allegation that She Was Married to Jesus Christ

Some books such as Holy Blood, Holy Grail and the The Da Vinci Code allege that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalene. One of the arguments for Mary Magdalene being married to Jesus Christ is that one of the Gnostic texts states that Jesus Christ kissed Mary. However, greeting one another with a holy kiss was common in that time even as the apostle Paul commanded in Romans 16:16 and in three other places in his epistles.

Gnostic writings were never accepted as a part of the canon of scripture. Even the Gnostic texts nowhere state that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalene or any other woman.

Some people argue that Jesus Christ had to have been married because the disciples sometimes called him "rabbi" (Mark 11:21), and a rabbi was usually married. They called him rabbi or master as a title of respect. The word for rabbi or master in Mark 11:21 can mean "my great one or my honorable sir." However, Jesus Christ was technically not a Jewish rabbi and he nowhere stated that he was a rabbi. The disciples sometimes called him a rabbi because he was their teacher, but Jesus Christ did not hold the official Jewish title of rabbi.

According to Smith's Bible Dictionary, there were various forms of the title rabbi with different levels of honor. The lowest level was rab, which meant master. The next level was rabbi, which meant my master; next came rabban, which meant our master; and the highest level was Rabboni, which meant my great master.

In Mark 11:28, the Jews asked him by what authority he did certain things because they knew that he did not hold any kind of formal Jewish position of authority.

There is simply no hard evidence that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalene or any other woman. The vast majority of scholars, whether they are liberal or conservative, agree that Jesus Christ was not married.

At the Crucifixion and Burial

Mary Magdalene was present at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as recorded in Matthew 27:55-56.
"55And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: 56Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedees children." (KJV)

While other disciples had forsaken Jesus Christ at his crucifixion, Mary Magdalene and many women showed great courage in being at the crucifixion. Women value relationships very highly. Mary Magdalene valued her relationship as a disciple of Jesus Christ. She was determined to stand by him until the very end. She remembered the healing that he had given her when he cast the seven demons out of her. He had given her a new life, and she would stand by him even in his death.
Mary Magdalene was also present at the burial of Jesus Christ as recorded in Matthew 27:59-61.
"59And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. 61And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre." (KJV)

Yes, Mary Magdalene was also present at the burial of Christ. As the First Day of Unleavened Bread drew near, Mary Magdalene was there to witness the burial of her master and lord. She would later return to the tomb to anoint his body with spices, but she would not find Jesus Christ there.

Witness to the Resurrection

The Apostle John records how Mary Magdalene was a witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ in John 20:1-2.

"1The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 2Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the LORD out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him." (KJV)
Mary was disturbed. If Jesus Christ were not alive, she wanted to still touch his body and anoint it with spices. She did not want to let go of her master to whom she was so devoted.

She persuaded Peter and John to go to the tomb. They ran to it and looked inside. Then the disciples went home, but Mary Magdalene did not go home. Just as she had remained close to Jesus Christ at his crucifixion and burial, she would remain close to his empty tomb until she saw two angels inside it.
The Apostle John goes on to describe the conversation that Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ had after his resurrection in John 20:13-17:

"13And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my LORD, and I know not where they have laid him. 14And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (KJV)
The Greek work for touch in verse 17 is Haptomai. It means "to cling to." Jesus Christ told Mary Magdalene not to cling to him because his mission was not over until he had ascended to the Father. Jesus Christ gave Mary Magdalene the mission of informing the disciples that he had risen from the dead and would ascend to his Father.

An apostle is one who is sent (Acts 1:21-22). Jesus Christ sent Mary Magdalene to tell his disciples, who would become apostles, that he was alive. For this reason, some early writings refer to Mary Magdalene as the apostle to the apostles. However, she had no authority as an apostle in any official capacity. She was not one of the 12. However, she was honored for her example and devotion.
The fact that Jesus Christ first appeared to a woman and made her a witness of his resurrection is one of the strongest proofs of the truth or historicity of the resurrection account. Jewish law did not recognize a woman's testimony. According to Mark 16:10-11, when Mary Magdalene told the disciples that she had seen Jesus Christ alive, they did not believe her.
However, women were important to Jesus Christ. He appreciated their devotion, especially the devotion of Mary Magdalene. He valued the opinions and the testimony of a woman. If the account of Jesus Christ's resurrection were a mere fable, Mary Magdalene would never have been listed as its first witness.

Conclusion

Mary Magdalene was a wealthy woman; she was a financial success. However, she did not achieve spiritual success until later. Seven demons had possessed her, but Jesus Christ cast them out and healed her. She made changes in her life and became a success story. She sought Jesus Christ with persistence; she sought him with courage; and she sought him with humility. As a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene serves as an inspiring role model for each of us.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/184017

Jesus Has Confidence in You!

Everyone will quickly agree that speaking in public is the greatest fear that most people have. They will do anything else, but don't make them speak in public! Talking to someone else about becoming a Christian is also intimidating to many believers. We are afraid of rejection, fear them persecuting us for standing up for our faith, etc. Yet, it is through our proclamation of the Gospel that God has chosen to win the lost. How do we go about accomplishing this responsibility?

Another area where we often struggle is having the confidence to do something totally out of our "comfort zone." Changing careers or even doing something the first time can be very intimidating for some people.

In Matthew 9:35-38, 10:1, 7-15; Mark 6:6b and Luke 9:1-5, Jesus wraps up His final tour of Galilee and sends the twelve Apostles out to preach and heal. This is quite a challenge for twelve "uneducated" men from a variety of backgrounds that do not include public speaking, seminary or other traditional religious training or qualification. Let's see how this applies to us!

Jesus Needs Our Help! - Matthew 9: 35-38, 10:5-6; Mark 6:6b Jesus appeals to the Apostles to pray for people who will go out and "harvest" those whom are willing to believe in Jesus as their Lord. He sees people who are hungering for what He has to offer and He knows that we are the ones who are going to have to tell them about Jesus.

Whether you go out yourself or not, you can pray for those who do make the commitment to live their lives telling others about Jesus. Pray that more young people will enroll in Bible Colleges and Seminaries and train for lives of full-time Christian ministry.

Jesus Believes We Can Do the Job! - Matthew 10:1, 7-8; Luke 9:1-2 Jesus calls the twelve Apostles and instructs them to go and tell people that the Messiah is here and they need to repent of their sins and follow Him. They were to do the kinds of healing miracles that they have seen Jesus do to give credibility to their message. They will even be able to raise dead people back to life!

God believes that you are capable of witnessing to others either in a small group or on a one-to-one basis. He also has given you specific talents and abilities that you can use for His glory. Whether it is being the best worker at your job or how you treat others, you are important to God's Kingdom and purpose. We show our love for God when we do our jobs and treat others as though we were doing it for the Lord! The key to success is to love God and love others.

Jesus Will Provide Your Needs - Matthew 10:9-10; Luke 9:3 Jesus tells the Apostles not to take any money with them, but to trust the people in the villages where they are going for their physical needs. Truly, as their teachings and healing the sick bless the people, they will want to give to help with their expenses as an expression of their gratitude.

We should challenge ourselves to focus on serving others instead of what we are going to get for serving others and let God work on their hearts to provide what we need. You will never be able to out give God. When you focus on how much you are getting paid, you become selfish, greedy and less productive. When you focus on serving others, they will want to see to it that you are adequately compensated for your efforts! The more you love God and love others, the less you will have to worry about your needs and compensation for your labors!

You Can Bless or Curse Those Around You! - Matthew 10:11-15; Luke 9:4-5 Jesus wraps up His instructions by advising the Apostles to be thankful for what they have and stay where they are welcomed. Here comes the dangerous part. If the town does not welcome them, then they are to curse that down as they leave by shaking the dust off of their feet on the way out. They basically have the power to bless or curse the people of that town, as they deem appropriate. That is putting a lot of power into the hands of those twelve men! They better have their minds focused on the things of God and not the selfish ways of man, lest they abuse that power!

God knows that you have the power to tell others about Jesus' love and forgiveness or you can do things that will drive others away from Christ! You may not be an evangelist or great at talking to others about how to become a Christian, but you can do things that will offend others who otherwise might have become a Christian and drive them away from God forever. I don't think you want that on your record. The more you love God and love others, the better you will be able to discern whether to bless or curse those whose lives you encounter!

 God bless you and have a great week!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1609705

Jesus Exposes the Lack of Integrity of the Pharisees

We often say we don't appreciate preachers who tell us that we are going to Hell if we don't stop our sinning. Yet, even Jesus took an occasion to condemn those who were guilty of sin. His messages weren't always positive and uplifting. There are occasions where it is necessary to tell sinners that they are doing wrong in order to lead them to repent.

In Matthew 23:15-39, Jesus continues confronting the Lawyers and Pharisees with their hypocrisy and lack of integrity before He is to be crucified for our sins. He gives a seven (eight, depending on how it is broken up) part warning against the practices of the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees. They don't do what they teach. He us attacking their lack of integrity!

Integrity in Truthfulness - Matthew 23:15
Jesus accuses the Lawyers and Pharisees of working hard at evangelizing, but making their more perverted than they were before their conversion. They will win someone to their interpretation of the Jewish Law without regard that it is what the Mosaical Law actually teaches or whether what they are teaching is true. Protecting their way of doing things is more important to them than telling the truth and maintaining their integrity. Such an attitude is living a lie and a compromise of their integrity.
As Christians, we are witness for Jesus Christ. When we are more concerned about trying to make someone a believer in our denomination instead of simply believing in Jesus as their Lord, we are just as guilty as the Pharisees. Each denomination is man's attempt to be right with God. These are well intended, but they are man-made, not God-made. Salvation is not found in one Christian denomination and not another. Salvation is found only in the truth of what Jesus did on the cross! Our integrity demands that we seek to discover the truth, not insist that our way is the truth. It is far better to change your beliefs to the truth than to defend a lie.

Integrity in Promises - Matthew 23:16-22
Next, Jesus upbraids the Pharisees because they think they can swear (make a promise) by the Temple without consequence, but if they swear by the gold in it, they are bound by their oath. Therefore, they have easy excuses to pretend to keep their word and then get out of doing it via this technicality. There are times when it is appropriate for us to promise to do something. Our integrity demands that we keep our word. It does not matter whether we swear by anyone or anything. If you say you are going to do it, do it! Your integrity depends on it.

Integrity in Caring for Others - Matthew 23:23-24
The Pharisees are careful to give God 10% of everything, yet they have neglected the law and compromised their integrity in not showing justice, mercy and faithfulness in their dealings with others. God would rather that they care more about helping other people and than they do about the legalistic tithing.

People and worshipping God in their heart is more important than how much money they give. When we start to think we are more important than others and they don't matter, we don't reflect the life or love of Christ. We are here to love God and serve others. Our integrity and witness is exemplified in how we care for other people. Giving is an expression of worship, but if it isn't done with love for God and your fellow man, the giver is a hypocrite. People will not remember you for the money you gave if they don't see how much you really cared about people.

Integrity in their Hearts - Matthew 23:25-26
Woe to the Pharisees and Lawyers because they think that being clean in their outward behavior makes them clean on the inside also. Jesus tells them that it is what is inside us that matters. It is their hearets and attitudes that exemplify or disparage their integrity. Their greed and selfishness does not reflect positively on their relationship with God. To them, money matters more than integrity.

Our outward appearance may be what people see first, but it is our inward character, our integrity, that they are going to really remember us by. Does your life reflect Jesus' presence or are you just putting on an outward behavior and hiding the sinful person that you are when you think no one is looking? If you more concerned about how you look to others than you are about their needs, then your integrity needs some serious overhauling. If you genuinely love God and care about others, they will not care about what you look like.

Integrity in Personal Behavior - Matthew 23:27-28
Jesus accuses the Pharisees and Lawyers as presenting themselves to be pure and holy on the outside when they are unclean sinners inside. A hypocrite is one who pretends to be something in hopes of impressing the people around him. They define themselves of integrity, but their character doesn't reflect that standard. They are being two faced - hypocrites.

If people could see inside your soul, would they see someone who truly loves God and cares about others or would they see a cheap façade on an inwardly empty shell? Does your daily life and integrity reflect Jesus inside you?

Integrity in Religious Convictions - Matthew 23:29-35
The Pharisees and Lawyers build graves to the prophets that were killed by their forefathers. This is a testimony against them because they are also guilty in the deaths of those sent by God to warn them. They will continue to do the same in killing Jesus and those who come after Him. Their integrity is seriously flawed.

How can we continue doing things against God when we claim to be followers of Jesus Christ? What are we when we go to church every SONday, but sin like the devil Monday through Friday? Does your integrity during the week reflect in your worship on SONdays?

God Longs for Our Integrity - Matthew 23:36-39
Jesus concludes this diatribe with a lament over the city of Jerusalem. For hundreds, even thousands of years, God has sought a relationship with His people only to be rejected time and again. When I look at the state of some of our churches, I can only imagine how God must hurt because of the lack of respect for God and others in their integrity. God wants to have a relationship with you. Do you love Him?

God bless you and have a great week!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1385955

Mary Magdalene - Apostle To The Apostles

She ran... she told... She had seen the risen Lord! (John 20:2, 18) According to John 20:1-2, 11-18, Mary Magdalene was the first to see Jesus after he had been raised from death. And her announcing to the disciples that she had "seen the Lord" has led to her becoming known as the "apostle to the apostles."

From the time of Mary Magdalene's healing by Jesus (Luke 8:2), she became a faithful follower - helping, along with other women, to provide financial support for Jesus' ministry (Luke 8:3), following him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and witnessing his crucifixion and burial (she is named specifically in Matthew and Mark's accounts - see Matthew 27:56, 61 and Mark 15:40, 47). Luke introduces her into the Gospel narrative by listing her first among the women who became followers of Jesus and who under-girded his ministry with their own resources. That she is listed first is quite possibly indicative of her role as a leader among this group of women.

Besides being named in all four canonical Gospels, Mary Magdalene also appears in a number of later, extracanonical texts such as the Gospel of Mary, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, the First Apocalypse of James, Dialogue of the Savior, Pistis Sophia, to name a few. Yet, in spite of all these texts, little is known of her background other than that she came from Magdala, a small town located along the western shore of Lake Galilee, near Capernaum, and that she was one from whom Jesus had cast out seven demons (Luke 8:2). Over the centuries, various legends about her identity and life surfaced, and she emerged as the subject of numerous literary and artistic works. In recent years, Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code (and the plethora of commentaries that followed) gave rise to intense interest and questions surrounding her role in Jesus' life.

Among the misrepresentations is one that was purported by the Church in the sixth century, whereby Mary Magdalene is depicted as a former prostitute based on her identification as the unnamed "sinful woman" in Luke 7:36-50. However, her formal introduction by name, two verses later in Luke 8, has been cited by scholars as evidence for disputing this characterization of her. Thus, we can now put aside this distorted, centuries-old portrayal and view her as one who exemplifies devotion and deep faith, whose actions on that first Easter morning broke through the gloom of death's dark shadow with words of life and hope.

Among the designated biblical texts for the commemoration of Mary Magdalene, it is interesting that the two Old Testament texts highlight women whose decisive and courageous acts were key to the resulting outcomes - Moses being saved from death at birth, owing to the resourcefulness of his mother and sister, and his subsequent adoption by Pharaoh's daughter; Ruth's loyalty to her mother-in-law and her becoming an ancestor to both King David and Jesus (as noted in Matthew's genealogy). Acting in faith they, like Mary, became instruments in God's unfolding plan for humankind's redemption.

As the "apostle to the apostles," Mary Magdalene was called as a witness to Christ's resurrection and to proclaim to others what she had heard and seen. As a woman of faith and devoted disciple, she now stands in the foreground as one who serves as a model for us today in sharing the good news so that lives can be changed by an encounter with the gospel message and the risen Christ.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/814124

Jesus Speaks on Death and Dying

When Sylvia and I got married, the minister commented that he had done as many weddings as he had done funerals. All of his funerals lasted. Not all of the marriages that he performed have lasted. One thing is for sure, we are all going to die once per lifetime. There will be no second chance to go back and do it over. If God were to call you today, are you ready to die for Him?
In Matthew 20:17-28; Mark 10:32-45; Luke 18:31-34, Jesus prepares the Apostles for His coming death. James and John's mother asks Jesus for preferential treatment for her sons. Jesus challenges their commitment and then informs everyone about how to have true greatness. Are you willing to die to yourself for Jesus?

We're All Going to Die - Matthew 20:17; Mark 10:32; Luke 18:31-32 Jesus and the Apostles are on their way to Jerusalem. Jesus will not leave the city and immediate area alive. He prepares the Apostles again, reminding them that He is going to die as the Old Testament prophesied.
Death is something that is going to happen to everyone who is conceived on this earth. Not even God's Son will escape the pain of dying. We need not lament that we are going to die, but be prepared so that we don't have to "get ready" if that moment should come suddenly.

Best Friends May Betray You - Matthew 20:18-19; Mark 10:33-34; Luke 18:33-34 One thing that makes this situation especially painful is that Jesus declares that He will be betrayed. He doesn't give any clue that it is one of the Apostles, but He knows. He does state that it will be unfair, cruel and final. Jew and Gentile will be involved in His death (murder).

How would you feel if someone that you were close to lied about you to authorities in a way that was quickly going to result in your execution? How would you feel if you knew this person was going to do that, days, weeks, even years ahead of the event? Could you tolerate having them in your company? Jesus did! No matter how much someone has hurt you in your life, you have never experienced the betrayal that Jesus endured!

Bargaining With God - Matthew 20:20-21; Mark 10:35-37 The mother of James and John comes to Jesus upon this announcement and, not realizing fully what she is asking, requests that they be given special honor in Jesus' Kingdom. She may have totally missed that Jesus is going to die and be expecting Him to set up a Kingdom in Jerusalem. That is what most of His followers are expecting from Him. Death is totally out of their minds. Whether she understands or not, she tries to bargain with Jesus for that special favor.

Most people who are dying go through a phase of bargaining for more time. All of us want some kind of "glory" or recognition. We will look to God or someone else for a special favor or title in hopes that it will give us a degree of life after we are dead.

Paying the Cost - Matthew 20:22-23; Mark 10:38-39a Jesus responds to the request for James and John by asking them if they are willing to pay the price to have the honor. They declare that they are willing to do whatever is required in exchange for the recognition.

Nothing "great" comes without a cost. If you want a raise or promotion, you have to deliver more work or assume more responsibility. Although our salvation is not on such terms, privilege on this earth does require a responsibility and special commitment if we are going to receive the honor. Are you willing to die for Jesus, if necessary? Are you willing to pay the price of your life in order to maintain your eternal life with Him?

Jealousy in the Ranks - Matthew 20:24; Mark 10:39b-40 The other Apostles are a little upset at James and John for asking for special favor. After all, aren't they as good (or better than) those two?
Being jealous is a waste of time. You should use your talents for God and not compare yourself to others or complain because they have some talent that you do not have.

Dying to Self - Matthew 20:25-28; Mark 10:41-45 Jesus sees the resentment towards James and John and must now defuse the jealousy and wrong attitudes in the ranks. He tells them that the one who is truly greatest is not the boss, but the worker who is out there doing something for others.

Which is more important to you, getting the honor or serving the Lord? Is Jesus truly first in your life? If He is, what are you doing to help advance His Kingdom? Are you the best worker at your job? Does your integrity reflect Jesus' presence in your life? Is loving others and serving Jesus more important to you than getting recognition or controlling others? Are you willing to die to yourself (your selfishness) for Jesus?

God bless you and have a great week!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1519183

Faith When Hope Seems Hopeless

Why would a person keep doing something that is not succeeding? Because they believe in it and believe that they were called to accomplish that purpose in their life. An example is Edison inventing the light bulb (tried some 10,000 times before he found one that worked), William Wilberforce's efforts to abolish slavery in England (took many years to accomplish), or the relentless pursuit of cures for various diseases. How long have you been pursuing your calling? Are you achieving it or still working on it, or have you given up?
In John 11:17-37, Jesus had learned that His friend, Lazarus, was deathly ill and now goes to Bethany to deal with the situation. He already knows that Lazarus is dead. He also knows that it is dangerous for Him to be so near to Jerusalem when the religious leaders want Him killed. Why is He going to visit a dead man and risk His life in this way? What is He up to?
 
God's Agenda is not Always Man's Agenda - John 11:17-19
By the time Jesus arrives in Bethany, Lazarus has been dead for four days. Why did God let Lazarus die? Why is Jesus coming to grieve over someone who is dead when His own life is in danger? This is very close to Jerusalem. Are we going to be safe here?

 
We oftentimes spend enormous amounts of energy trying to figure out God before we begin simply doing what He calls us to do. Many times, God wants us to proceed and trust that He will provide what is needed by the time that it is needed. I have worked on writing these Bible lessons for twelve years as of this date and I am still waiting (while working) for it to grow into a ministry that is touching the lives of thousands and millions of Christians. But because I believe that this is what God called me to do, I haven't quit. God's agenda certainly hasn't been my agenda.
 
Jesus Always Offers Hope - John 11:20-22
When Jesus arrives, Martha comes out to meet Him before He even gets to the house. Even though Lazarus is dead, she believes, not only that Jesus could have prevented His death, but that God will still do something through Jesus by His simply asking. That is an affirmation of her faith in Jesus as the Christ (Messiah) and His power. 
 
Even when life seems most hopeless, God can do what we would believe to be impossible. If we remember who God is and how much He loves us, we will be able to overcome any situation in life because in Him, there is always hope. There is nothing that God cannot do.
 
Death is Not the End - John 11:23-26
Jesus tells Martha that Lazarus will rise again. She believes in the resurrection of the dead, so she knows that he will live in eternity. What she doesn't believe or comprehend is that he will live again in this life. 
 
It is not a tragedy when a Christian dies because we know that this person is now alive forever in Heaven with God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. There is life after death and that is what gives us a peace about this life. We know that no matter how we die, but sudden health issue, slow health issue, accident or someone's criminal action, we have eternal life with God in a place where death and this world has no power. Death is not the end.
 
Faith Believes What It Cannot Prove - John 11:27-28
Martha affirms her faith in Jesus as the Christ (Messiah). The greatest evidence of Jesus's deity is still to be seen, but she believe based on what she knows at this point. After this, Martha goes and gets Mary to go see Jesus. All of this is a statement of her faith in Him as the Christ, the Son of God who can do all things. Nothing is said about raising Lazarus.
 
Faith is when you believe in something, even though there is not enough evidence to support that belief. All of us exhibit faith in other people, things or events. How much faith do you have in God to do what He promises He will do? How much would you be willing to risk if God asked something big of you?
 
Jesus Cares About Our Feelings and Needs - John 11:29-37
Mary comes out to Jesus and makes similar comments to what Martha made. The crowd of mourners doesn't know what is happening, so they follow close to Mary for emotional support. Jesus cares about Martha and Mary's feelings, as He also cares about Lazarus. He asks them to take Him to the gravesite. There, He is also overcome with grief and weeps for Lazarus. We may find this odd, considering who Jesus is, what He knows and what He is going to do. But it is important to note that He does have feelings, just like you and me and He cares about those things that we care about. 
 
No matter what you are going through in your life, Jesus knows and cares very much. He may not prevent tragedy from happening to you, but He will be there with you as you go through it and will guarantee a future in eternity as long as you believe in and live for Him. This requires faith!
 
God bless you and have a great week!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1441438

Misconception on Faith and Work

This has been a misconception that many of us as Christians have, faith is truly an essential ingredient that must be present in our walk and work with God for effectiveness and growth in the vineyard of the Lord. We fail to recognize and distinguish faith in different facets of life.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)
A large percentage of Christians are devoid of the fact that for faith to be living and standing work must be incorporated.

"But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without work is dead?." (James 2:20 KJV)
We should not be confused here, faith is holding unto God completely for what has not happened believing it has happened. The bible says it is extremely useless to have faith and no work, this means that it is not all about believing, it is holding steadfastly to your faith for your result, that is the "work" that is spoken of. Work has both a spiritual and physical dimension. In the spiritual God is able to do all and all you need is faith in him and holding unto in totally. For example you are trusting God for a healing in blindness, you cannot work out your healing physically, there is no amount of eye exercise or any other procedure that will restore sight; the work you need to do here is only praying and believing in God, this is faith and work.

But in the physical it takes a different dimension though faith is the same. In this case the principle of physics; (work=force multiply by distance) applies. For example you will be so foolish to just sit back at home doing nothing (no schooling) having faith in God that you would become a professor, the faith is dead and useless because there are certain academic conditions that must be met to become a professor. I mean you must study, own degrees and look forward to been a professor. The work here is "studying". Furthermore, you want to be a multi-millionaire and you do nothing, you don't work towards it and you expect God to throw down millions to you from heaven. God does not work that way, you have faith in him and work towards it in your own little way and he will then expand you and your faith will yield results.

"In order to achieve you goal, faith and work as two different components for work together as one."
This is where many fail and say God does not exist or God is not real. They only possess a hopeless faith in laziness and expect God to perform magic in providing riches or miracles. "We should not just have faith but in the spiritual and physical, we should incorporate work else our faith would be useless." You will end up been disappointed to have faith and have no work.

Let me remind you that faith is not hope but hope is incorporated in faith neither is faith a wish. As Christians we should have faith in God and not wish.

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Put Your Faith to Work

Now faith is the substance of things hope for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrew 11:1)
Faith, the Bible says, is the substance of what you hope for, and the title-deed of unseen realities. In other words, faith means that the things you were hoping for are now your present-hour possessions. This is where the demonstration of faith comes to play. If it is true that what you hoped for is now yours, then you ought to act that way. For example, you might have prayed to God for something concerning yourself, believing he will do it. If you truly believe that God heard your prayer, then you shouldn't come back tomorrow and pray about the same thing again. You should now begin to act like someone who has received from God: that's how to put your faith to work.

When Peter and John met the crippled man at the gate of the temple called beautiful, Peter said to the man, "silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6). Peter then grabbed the man by the hand, and lifted him up. The Bible says "and he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping, and praising God". The man didn't try to test whether he could stand up; he jumped up! That was a demonstration of fiat. He believed he had been healed and he immediately acted that way, and he began to walk instantly.

Understand that faith is active and not passive; faith acts now because it has taken possession. That's why the Bible says, ".. faith, if it hath now works, is dead, being alone" (James 2;17). That means faith without corresponding actions is dead. The faith that works is when you believe that what God says are yours are yours, and then you act accordingly.

In other words if you truly believe God's word - that he is who he sys he is, has done what he says he has done, and that you have what he says you have, then you must talk, act, and live hat way. Therefore, each time you pray, act as someone that has received; that's how to put your faith to work.

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Christian Faith Without Works?

When others around you look at your life, do they know that God loves you? Can people tell by your actions that you belong to God? Do they know you are a follower of His? Remember, the evidence is in your words, actions and deeds. The most important thing you could ever know and show is that God loves you. His love truly changes us. His love empowers us. His love takes us to new levels. His love gives us eternal life.

When you make a wrong choice or do something that displeases Him, most times, you know it immediately. There is uneasiness that you feel inside of you. The Christian Bible tells us that Christian faith without works is dead. That means if you do not put your faith into action, it is not really faith, it's just nice ideas. But when God truly does work in our lives, it affects everything about us - our words, our thoughts, and our actions. How do you know someone is kind, how do you know someone is gentle, how do you know someone is generous? How do you know someone is a follower of Christ? By their Christ-like actions!

"You are generous because of your faith. And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ." Philemon 1:6, (NLT).

Paul says in his letter to the Thessalonians with a compliment and exhortation about how well they were living. He could truly see God's love in them. He told them that the way they responded to the Gospel and the way the Holy Spirit confirmed their faith was evidence that God was holding them in high esteem. In other words, by their daily actions, they were letting God's love truly show through them.

Open your heart fully and receive His love today. Then turn around and love Him in return by truly following His commands. We all have areas that we can come up higher in, but the Good News is that God is always at work in our lives to mold us and make us more like Him. Ask Him to search your heart and mind today. Surrender any area of your life that is not pleasing to Him. As a Christian, invite Him to have His way in your life, and allow Him to finish His perfect work in you!

"For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him." Philippians 2:13, (NLT).

Always know that He didn't just give you the desire to please Him; He gave you the power to please Him, too! He did not just call you; He equipped you! Follow that inner prompting so that your actions will line up with what God puts in your heart. He wants you to continue growing spiritually. His plans and purposes for your life are always good. And when you are submitted to Him, nothing can stop the Almighty God from accomplishing great things in and through you!

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