When Jesus heard [about Lazarus’ illness], He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”  John 11:4

Recommended Reading:  I Thess. 4:13-18  “¹³ But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.¹⁵ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.¹⁶ For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:¹⁷ Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.¹⁸ Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

COMMENTS: There are a number of examples of Jesus demonstrating authority over sickness and even death.  The raising of Jarius’ dead daughter and Lazarus are proof of this.  But Christ’s own resurrection is the greatest demonstration of not only His authority and power over His Creation, but also over His own death and resurrection.  He chose to lay down His life in order to bear our sins and become our perfect sacrifice for sin.  He rose again in order to demonstrate and fulfill the completed redemption and restoration of the prefect relationship He intended to have with each of us.  He took the keys of sin and death from satan and unlocked the binds of sin and death we had no hope of overcoming or becoming free of. 

Yes, we must allow Him to unlock our chains and prison door, but we must also invite Him into our lives to guide and council and strengthen and lead us.  Every step in our relationship with Him comes with His invitation and with our acceptance.  The first and biggest step is accepting His forgiveness and inviting Him into our lives. 

Surrender to His Will and Plan is a lifetime endeavor.   We are not strong enough or insightful enough to grasp or surrender every sinful corner of our lives, but He is wise and compassionate enough to be and stay on focus to clean us at the pace and degree we are able to receive.   Granted, when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, He then sees us as forgiven and perfect in His sight.   That is because the Father then sees us through Christ’s blood instead of through our sins.  The restoration of us to being perfect through and through begins then and continues until we see Him face to face in heaven.  But while living on earth, the corruption and temptations of life continue to soil us and require His continual cleansing and guidance to grow deeper in faith and obedience.

Sanctification is a term used especially by John Wesley to describe the act of surrender once the Christian accepts Christ.  It is a second act of Grace involving the indwelling and active involvement of the Holy Spirit in relationship with and living within the believer.  Such is more than a onetime encounter but a lifelong relationship and pursuit and growth process.   Truth is, we can and should make progress to goal of being Christ-like each day.  But it is also truth His perfection is so far about our human comprehension and capability; such can only be a lifetime pursuit and growth process.  But then again, isn’t all worthwhile relationships also a growing – living – developing process?  Are good marriages also growing relationships?  Aren’t children – parent relationships growing relationships?  Our relationship with Christ is a growing relationship too!   He grows closer to us and we grow to be more like Him as we grow closer to Him.

Some of the many wonderful – confident – assurances we have are:

1. We will have new – better – perfect bodies in heaven that will not age or get sick and will last forever.
2. We will know and see Him without sin and evil influences in our hearts and minds and environment
3. We will see and enjoy heaven with all its splendor and beauty and vastness forever
4. We will be in continual and deeper relationship with Him
5. We will see and know and be with our loved ones and friends and family who accept Him
6. We will be able to meet and spend time with all those we read about in scripture and others who were faithful from Adam to our present.
7. We will discover their impact on us and impact our lives had on others and on future generations.
8. We will sing and worship Him without getting tired or distracted.

This list is infinite.  I invite you to add to it based on scripture.  Below are some to assist in that quest:

Revelation 22:1-5
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Revelation 21:4
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Luke 23:43
And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Hebrews 11:16
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Revelation 21:22-27
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.

1 Corinthians 2:9
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

John 3:13
No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.

Revelation 21:21-25
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.

Revelation 21:1
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

2 Peter 3:13
But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Hebrews 13:14
For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.

Revelation 21:18
The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass.

Revelation 21:1-5
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Revelation 21:19
The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,

Revelation 21:27
But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Matthew 25:46
And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

John 10:28
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Luke 12:32
“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Matthew 18:10
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

Revelation 4:1-11
After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God,

Psalm 19:1
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

2 Kings 2:11
And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Revelation 22:15
Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Revelation 12:7-9
Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Revelation 21:1-4
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Hebrews 12:22-24
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Hebrews 11:10
For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

2 Corinthians 5:1
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

John 3:1-36
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Matthew 13:43
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

Revelation 20:11
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.

Romans 5:17
For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

John 6:47-50
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.

Jeremiah 10:12
It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.

Isaiah 45:18
For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the Lord, and there is no other.

Nehemiah 9:6
“You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.

Revelation 21:1-27
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Revelation 11:19
Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

1 John 5:5-8
Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.

2 Peter 3:10
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Psalm 33:6
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.

Colossians 3:4
When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Colossians 1:12
Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Acts 7:49
“‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest?

John 6:50-71
This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

Matthew 3:12
His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Job 22:12
“Is not God high in the heavens? See the highest stars, how lofty they are!

2 Chronicles 6:30
Then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways, for you, you only, know the hearts of the children of mankind,

Revelation 2:7
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

Ephesians 1:18
Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

Luke 15:10
Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Matthew 11:25
At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;

Lamentations 3:41
Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven:

Psalm 103:11
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

Job 9:8
Who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea;

1 Peter 1:4
To an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

Luke 12:33
Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

Psalm 73:24
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.

Psalm 20:6
Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.

Revelation 14:13
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

Revelation 7:9
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

Titus 3:5
He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

John 13:36
Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.”

John 5:29
And come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Luke 20:34-36
And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

Matthew 19:21
Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

The promise of Scripture is that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. All who believe in Him, though they die, will live to the glory of God (John 11:25-26).

“Bless God that there is in us a resurrection life, and that there awaits us a resurrection morning!” J. J. Bonar 

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