How shall I serve You, Lord?

Do you believe this?

Jesus said to Martha,

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)

This is one of the most powerful scriptures for the life of the believer. Yet it ends with one of the most difficult questions to the life of the saint.
Here we find Jesus addressing Martha after the death of her brother Lazarus. Martha was brokenhearted, her brother gone. Grieved within she approaches Christ with the burden of sorrow and pain:

"Then Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." (John 11:21)

But her brother did die! He was sealed within the tomb, hope cast away.

Of course, Jesus knew her loss long before He arrived. He put off His coming in order that the Father would be glorified. God's timing is always perfect, though for us, at times it seems as if He will never arrive.

"Then Jesus said to them plainly, 'Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.'" (John 11:14-15)

Martha loved Christ, she seen in Him Life, yet she doubted His promises. With her mouth she claimed to believe, but her heart filled with doubt. She knew that at the last day all would arise, but here and now, she could not look beyond her sorrow and fears. They were her tomb. She had walled up all that she hoped for into the sepulcher of unbelief. Like many of us, we believe in the Lord, but do not hold to the promise that He can move within our lives. We see it true for others, but the fears, and trails that come our way tell us it is all over, seal all hope away, no chance, no Deliverer. We wrap our hope in the grave clothes of uncertainty, seal it away into the tombs of despondency. Even Mary, Martha's sister who sat at Jesus feet to learn from Him, had lost her confidence.

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." (John 11:32 NKJV)

She repeated the same doubts and fears as Martha. This is not an isolated situation, but affects many. How often do we attend our fellowships, raising our hands in praise and worship, singing songs of deliverance and faith, yet when we return to our homes we are like Lazaruas wrapped away in a tomb of darkness?

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; My soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. (Psalms 77:2-3 NKJV)

When one walks in darkness, he will stumble. The dark doubts and fears that hold us within the wrappings of unbelief keeps the saint of God from bearing the fruit that only can come forth in the life of faith and trust. Satan will do all he can to keep us behind the stone of uncertainties. Until we roll the stone away, our ears will be closed to the call of the Master. Disbelief, binds our eyes, ears and soul, to death. There is no life in theses enemies of God, they are from the father of lies. Roll the stone away and you will hear His voice:

Jesus said, ---"Take away the stone." (John 11:39 NKJV)

Uncertainties, will tell us, this is beyond the Lord, that all hope is to far gone. The stench, deadness of unbelief, binds us to the lies of the enemy. We must arise from this apathy, put our hands to the plow, walk in faith, roll the stone away. The soul filled with faith, will hear His voice, calling us to come forth, come follow. Unwrap the grave clothes of all that He has redeemed us from. Arise in His light, His life, walk in the brightness of His glory:

He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go." (John 11:43-44 NKJV)

Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. (Psalms 33:8-9 NKJV)

There can be nothing more grievous to heaven above than unbelief in the heart of the child of God. It strips us of all He has set before us. It shuts us in our fellowship halls week after week year after years, hearing and singing about all the goodness of the Lord, yet never truly walking in His victory. Be still and know how this is that which grieves His heart. Let the Holy Spirit breathe upon you. The dry bones that been wasting away in the desert of uncertainty, that which you thought could never rise again, the hope, faith, the strength you once walked in, now risen in the power of the Living Christ. Do you believe this.

Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live." So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. (Ezekiel 37:9-10 NKJV

T. M. Faunce 5/6/12

Taking The Word To The hearts Of Men: Acts 1:8
C/O/ Frontline Outreach
PO Box 618 Hillman MI 49746-