THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 3, No. 48 – Monday, 26th November, 2018
(Jn.11:1-46)
THE MYSTERY AND THE MIRACLES OF BETHANY (PART 3)
Let the question be re-echoed; why did the Helper of humanity weep? (Jn.11:35). Why wouldn’t the Lord weep? Wasn’t the unbelief exhibited by Lazarus’ family enough to trigger the Lord’s sympathy which led to Him weeping.
For where faith has failed in anyone’s heart, what more was left? One answer is mercy. But is mercy so common as faith? For the exercise of mercy is discretionary. Besides, the exercise of mercy does not lie with him/her who needs the mercy.
Rather, it is always a second or third party disbursement. Mercy is wield at the kind disposition and sole prerogative of His sovereignty. To attempt to determine what triggers divine mercy is to attempt to tie air inside one’s handkerchief. For mercy is obtained, not earned (Heb.4:16).
Understand that this exegesis is not an attempt to demonise God. NO! The point is faith is more easily common and attainable than mercy. I pray that the mercy of God shall locate everyone reading this piece, in Jesus name, Amen.
Why wouldn’t the Lord weep? The foundational problem of Lazarus’ family and the miasma of sleas that surrounded the names of the three in Lazarus’ family were all no doubt very concerning.
Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus means ‘bitterness’ or ‘rebellion’. The meaning of Martha could not be qualified by any adjective but it simply meant ‘lady’. What sort of lady by the very meaning of her name could not be told. A useless lady or useful lady was altogether left in abeyance.
Of course, completing the tricycle of the three in Lazarus’ triangular family, the name Lazarus could not take any other meaning but such awkward meaning as ‘without help’. No wonder, none came to his rescue even after the Lord had raised him from the dead after four days.
Even the Lord could not remove the grave clothes from him for then the yoke attached to his name by reason of the meaning of his name would have remained unbroken. So then, why did the Lord ask for help for Lazarus towards the removal of his grave clothes?
Simply, mercy was extended to him. Since his life and name lacked help, the Helper of humanity had to break the yoke of no help from him and at the same time spoke help into his life.
By so doing, mercy replaced ‘without help’ with help from all. What a family! Foundational problems goes back to their father name Cyrus and their mother Eucharis. What a family! They lived in a city which was a barren city being a house of unripe figs or fruitlessness where poverty thrive with ease and stagnation and nonachievement announced themselves continually as the order of the day.
What a family! Being without help produced bitterness and unhappy state of affairs and the best description was for one to be called just any name whatever it meant (for example, Misslady). Ah! it was a family under serious siege foundationally and in every other way.
Take a look back at your own family, your growing-up and your story-line till now. Is it all rosy or at least 30% pleasant? If not, you must fight the battle of Bethany and seek mercy from the Helper of humanity today. That mercy upturned the mystery of Bethany and in turn produced the miracles of Bethany.
IN THE END, ANYONE WHO IS YET TO FIND OUT AND KNOW WHAT HE/SHE WILL DO IN ORDER TO TRIGGER DIVINE MERCY HAS NOT YET BEGUN TO PRAY. MERCY IS OBTAINABLE BY SEEKING. BUT WHAT MAKES MERCY FLOW CONTINUALLY INTO ONE’S LIFE IS A MOST RELEVANT QUESTION THAT EVERYONE MUST INQUIRE AND OF NECESSITY OBTAIN REQUISITE ANSWERS.
Question and Answer Section:
Question: What was the punishment for a woman who engages in extramarital affairs in the Bible?
Answer: That woman’s laps and her entire genital area shall utterly rot after seeing the priest, performing the required treatment and the final pronouncement from the priest (NUM.5:14-22). This judgment has not ceased till date.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Counseling, Prayers and Appointments: Please contact contactus@expressimageglory.com or 08098198155.
Donations and Financial Supports – Please support the Kingdom of God through Christ Jesus by paying your hard-earned money to only this one account and no other: Express Image Glory Ministry, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Account number – 0020881228.
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ALTAR CALL:
Backslidden – living in sin – needing fresh recommitment (say):
Christ Jesus, You are the Anointed One of the Most High. I come to you today as I am. In your mercy, help me out of my situation. Heal my soul, my spirit, my body, my life and my destiny. I acknowledge you as the only true lover of my soul. Please, deliver me on every side and save me through and through. I promise from the depth of my soul to be yours from henceforth, in Jesus name. Help me now O God. Be my Lord, my Saviour and my all in all from this day. Thank you Lord (read Ps.54 in closing and pray more).
HYMN: Pass me not O Gentle Saviour
PRAY NOW:
1. O God, show me your mercy over the following issues of my life (name them).
2. O God, please tell me those things that doing them will cause your mercy to automatically flow to my life.
3. Tell the Lord Jesus Christ about the good things you desire to happen to Express Image Glory Ministries.
4. It is written: ‘thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven’. O God, cause your will to be done in my life. Let my life be a fruitful vine showing forth your glory and grace.
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