It was many years ago, and I was a sophomore or a junior in the university and we were all given
a Bible question in English class. Now the profs were far from favorable to Christianity in those days,
but were probably far fairer then than many of them would be now.
Anyway, the question was concerning John 11:17-44 and it was why did Lazarus die in the first place
if Christ is Lord and controls the outcome of everything?
I read it and I am sure prayed about it, and I went back to my Bible and read the whole account again. I found that
the instructor had left off some of the scripture concerning this topic. Namely John 11:1-16 and the verse I thought
most appropriate which was the fourth verse. NIV has it as "When he heard this, Jesus said This sickness will not end
in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."
The sickness would not end in death and that was true, because it ended in Lazarus being raised from the dead by Christ.
And it was all to bring about glory for the Father and for the Son. That is how I answered the question, and it must have been right because I got a good grade on it and I hope I wrote what the Lord wanted me to.
Praise Jesus.
Can I say something else here? I have been asked much more recently why God allows things like severe illnesses to hit people in
the first place if he is going to heal them anyway. I would say that healings and other manifestations from God are not for us
to figure out, but to accept and to thank him for. Christ healed people on earth when he was here, and was it not all a sign of
his authority? To me...healings today are for the same reason. He saves us, in more ways than one, and sometimes by minor or
major miracles. Should we not accept this and thank him and know that he has authority to do this still if it is in his will and we
have some faith? I know so.
I was raised in a denomination where we were all expected to pray often to the Lord. When people were
near death or needed salvation in Christ those were the most important times to pray. Which is why
I could not figure out why our denomination studied the wonderful miracles and healings in scripture but
seemed to ignore the same accomplished in the Lord in these modern times. If one why not the other?
When I was a sunday school teacher there for many years I began to include accounts of present day
healings and miracles. I did this for years and years until I moved on. Don't get me wrong...they were
and are wonderful Christians who work for the salvation of others in Christ. But to me they don't get it.
Christ heals people today, if we have some faith and if it is all in the Lord's will. I moved on to
churches that are into 21st century healings. To me it makes sense and especially since my own healing
in 2002 when Dr. told my family that I was dying. He does what he wants to if we have some tiny faith.
Praise and thanks to Jesus.
a Bible question in English class. Now the profs were far from favorable to Christianity in those days,
but were probably far fairer then than many of them would be now.
Anyway, the question was concerning John 11:17-44 and it was why did Lazarus die in the first place
if Christ is Lord and controls the outcome of everything?
I read it and I am sure prayed about it, and I went back to my Bible and read the whole account again. I found that
the instructor had left off some of the scripture concerning this topic. Namely John 11:1-16 and the verse I thought
most appropriate which was the fourth verse. NIV has it as "When he heard this, Jesus said This sickness will not end
in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."
The sickness would not end in death and that was true, because it ended in Lazarus being raised from the dead by Christ.
And it was all to bring about glory for the Father and for the Son. That is how I answered the question, and it must have been right because I got a good grade on it and I hope I wrote what the Lord wanted me to.
Praise Jesus.
Can I say something else here? I have been asked much more recently why God allows things like severe illnesses to hit people in
the first place if he is going to heal them anyway. I would say that healings and other manifestations from God are not for us
to figure out, but to accept and to thank him for. Christ healed people on earth when he was here, and was it not all a sign of
his authority? To me...healings today are for the same reason. He saves us, in more ways than one, and sometimes by minor or
major miracles. Should we not accept this and thank him and know that he has authority to do this still if it is in his will and we
have some faith? I know so.
I was raised in a denomination where we were all expected to pray often to the Lord. When people were
near death or needed salvation in Christ those were the most important times to pray. Which is why
I could not figure out why our denomination studied the wonderful miracles and healings in scripture but
seemed to ignore the same accomplished in the Lord in these modern times. If one why not the other?
When I was a sunday school teacher there for many years I began to include accounts of present day
healings and miracles. I did this for years and years until I moved on. Don't get me wrong...they were
and are wonderful Christians who work for the salvation of others in Christ. But to me they don't get it.
Christ heals people today, if we have some faith and if it is all in the Lord's will. I moved on to
churches that are into 21st century healings. To me it makes sense and especially since my own healing
in 2002 when Dr. told my family that I was dying. He does what he wants to if we have some tiny faith.
Praise and thanks to Jesus.