Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus from Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister, Martha. It was that Mary who had anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother, Lazarus, was sick.
The sisters therefore sent to him, saying, “Lord, behold, he for whom you have great affection is sick.” But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that God's Son may be glorified by it.” (John 11:1-4)
Mary and Martha must have heaved a sigh of relief when they heard Jesus say, “This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that God's Son may be glorified by it.”
But then very soon they were disappointed, dejected and dismayed because their brother died contrary to Jesus' prophecy. Was Jesus really their friend? must have been a thought that troubled the sisters those days. The same thought troubles believers when they pass through problems of many kinds. If he is truly a friend who cares, why does he seem aloof sometimes? If he is indeed Savior, where is he when I need him desperately?
The thoughts can range from sorrow to anger depending on the severity of the trial.
When Jesus finally came to Bethany where Mary and Martha lived, Lazarus had already died and been kept in the tomb for 4 days. Everyone around was mourning.
Martha and Mary expressed their deep anguish by telling Jesus that if he had been there at the appropriate time, their brother would not have died.
John the Apostle writes,
When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They told him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. (John 11:33-35)
Yes... Jesus is very compassionate. He weeps with you when you weep. He is troubled when you are troubled.
He is always interceding for you in the presence of our heavenly Father.
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. He turned the mourning of Mary and Martha in to dancing. They were clothed with joy from on high. This day and every day that we live on earth, we have hope because Jesus lives to intercede for us.
He will turn your mourning in to dancing. He will remove your sackcloth and clothe you with joy. Praise God.
Dr. Johnson Cherian
www.johnsoncherian.com
Saturday, September 22, 2018
Friday, September 21, 2018
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Final Word- 12
Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
(1 Corinthians 5:6-8)
Are we glorying about the right things these days?
The Apostle Paul writing to the church in Corinth, tells them... "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."
(1 Corinthians 1:31)
He actually quotes Jeremiah the prophet who had earlier
prophesied....The LORD says, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom. Let not the mighty man glory in his might. Let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him who glories glory in this, that he has understanding, and knows me, that I am the LORD who exercises loving kindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth; for I delight in these things”. (Jeremiah 9:23,24)
Sometimes it's the worldly wisdom, might and riches that speak through believers rather than the new creation that they are to be in Christ.
Humbling oneself is a difficult process which even the 12 disciples that Jesus chose found hard to live by. They were with Jesus for more than three years, yet they failed to understand how their teacher wanted them to be.
This season, let us again look to our Savior and be more like him. Let's purge out the leaven of malice and wickedness from our lives and live with sincerity and truth. That would truly be pleasing to our Savior and Lord.
Dr. Johnson Cherian
(1 Corinthians 5:6-8)
Are we glorying about the right things these days?
The Apostle Paul writing to the church in Corinth, tells them... "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."
(1 Corinthians 1:31)
He actually quotes Jeremiah the prophet who had earlier
prophesied....The LORD says, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom. Let not the mighty man glory in his might. Let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him who glories glory in this, that he has understanding, and knows me, that I am the LORD who exercises loving kindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth; for I delight in these things”. (Jeremiah 9:23,24)
Sometimes it's the worldly wisdom, might and riches that speak through believers rather than the new creation that they are to be in Christ.
Humbling oneself is a difficult process which even the 12 disciples that Jesus chose found hard to live by. They were with Jesus for more than three years, yet they failed to understand how their teacher wanted them to be.
This season, let us again look to our Savior and be more like him. Let's purge out the leaven of malice and wickedness from our lives and live with sincerity and truth. That would truly be pleasing to our Savior and Lord.
Dr. Johnson Cherian
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Final Word-11
So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, "Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!" But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking. (Genesis 19:14)
Despite seeing all the catastrophic happenings around, there are still many who think that the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is some kind of a joke.
When God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, he sent his angels to warn Lot and his family. As we read above, Lot spoke to his sons-in-law of the coming calamity, but they thought that Lot was joking.
Preachers who preach that the end is near and the second coming of Jesus Christ is imminent are often ridiculed. Many Christians are still fed with the warm fuzzy gospel of health, wealth and materialism and most are content with it.
When Noah was building the ark, I guess many would have ridiculed him too. At age 500+, they must have thought that the old man had lost his marbles, but he knew exactly what he was doing and when the floods came, only he and his family of eight were saved.
Jesus, in his Olivet discourse said,
"As the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and they didn`t know until the flood came, and took them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left; two women grinding at the mill, one will be taken and one will be left. Watch therefore, for you don`t know in what hour your Lord comes." (Matthew 24:37-42)
A reminder for all of us dear friends....
..You also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew 24:44)
Dr. Johnson Cherian
Thursday, September 13, 2018
Final Word-10
For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” (Hebrews 10:37, 38)
There is coming a time in the life of every believer in Jesus Christ when he/she will experience total freedom. There wouldn't be any deadlines to be met at work, no targets to be achieved at the job, no assignments to be completed. No plans needed to please the bosses at work. No waking up daily to cook three or four meals for the family. No waking up to yet another day of pain, weakness or sickness. They will be things of the past.
Jesus Christ is coming to take away his own to a place of peace and quiet and everlasting joy, 'Heaven' as it is named. The wily serpent will no longer be there to trouble.
Long back God promised his people deliverance from slavery in Egypt and life in a land flowing with milk and honey and despite myriad hindrances, he made sure that they reached there (though not the disobedient). If he kept his promise then, he will fulfil his promise now of taking us to a better rest, in fact the best.
But till that happens, each of us who have trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior must press on, taking up the challenges and overcoming temptations gaining victory over them by the power of the Holy Spirit. We must not shrink back, but walk by faith, till God says it's time for us to enter the heavenly rest.
Dr. Johnson Cherian
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
Final Word-9
God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish. (Psalm 9:18)
David, who sang this psalm, went through innumerable troubles before he became king. Even after becoming king, he battled several enemies who plotted against him.
Many of the psalms are his testimonies of how God, in whom he put his trust, took care of his life.
If we look back on our own lives, we can see that the good hand of the Lord has been with us too. No doubt, we must have despaired on many occasions, but God saved us finally.
David realized that even as king and with all the power and authority that he had, he still needed to depend on God Almighty for matters small and great. Overconfidence brought him troubles on several occasions.
Often in need, often afflicted, and experiencing God's mighty deliverance, the shepherd king, acknowledged the goodness of God by singing...God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish.
Let's then depend on our Savior Jesus Christ continually, for his mercies are unending and his faithfulness is everlasting.
Dr. Johnson Cherian
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