SUNDAY INVITE AND OPENING PRAYERS
I welcome you to the kingdom bible study today.
I believe you have been well from your different places where you are following. May God bless you and do you good in the name of the Lord.
Isaiah sixty-one verse seven is your portion. God says, my people shall never be ashamed again. That is what God said. For all your your shame, God promises that he will give you and you will receive double for your shame in the name of Jesus Christ.
This coming Sunday is the double for Shame Sunday Service. God he never lies. He says what he means and he means what he says.
When we come before the Lord, the Bible says in Hosea chapter number fourteen verse two, "Take words and bring them to me".
We are coming to the Lord with the Word of God. You know? That is how things work. Bring the Word of God and come to the house of God. That is how we go to the House Of God. We don't go to Church just because it is Sunday. No. We go with the Word.
Lord, "You say, for every area of of shame, you will take away the shame and you will replace and fill me with your glory. Lord, I'm coming this Sunday with that Word. We are coming this Sunday with Isaiah sixty one verse seven to receive double for our shame".
And then, when you bring to him the Word, God says, "The word that returns to me will not return void in your life".
Our God is the shame remover. He is the God who takes away the reproach in our lives. Please purpose to come with knowledge and understanding and see by yourself what the Lord will do.
Father, before you we come this morning and we say father thank you. And blessed be your Holy Name in the Name of Jesus Christ.
We are ready to receive instruction from you and a word from you. Let it be so for us. In the name of Jesus Christ we have prayed. And we all say Amen. Amen.
Let us be practical today. Yes.
God says, "For your shame, you will receive double."
How does it look like to receive double for shame?
I will give you some pictures today and particularly today, we are looking at the story of Lazarus resurrection.
I don't have time to read the whole Scripture but you know the story.
CHAPTER 1 | PICTURE 1 : LAZARUS
Part 1 | Lazarus's description
In John chapter eleven verse three, Lazarus is described as a man that Jesus loved that is the first description it is an amazing one. Number two, Lazarus is described as being sick. Though sick, yet, Jesus loved him.
Part 2 | A prayer or an information?
Now, when Lazarus was sick, Martha and Mary the sisters sent somebody and said, "You know what? Jesus, please, the one you love is sick".
I don't want to debate a lot about it whether it was a prayer or not. Well, they did not say, "Jesus, the one you love is sick. Come and do something for him".
They did not say that. I did not see it here. They did not say, "Heal him". They just say, "Jesus, the one you love is sick".
So said, that was most of an information than a prayer. But it is kind of a prayer. I don't say no. I do not say that it was not a prayer, but they said, "The one you love is sick".
Okay. When Jesus met Bartimaeus, he asked him a question, "Do you want me to do something for you? What do you want me to do for you?". Bartimaeus had to answer. He had to be specific.
If God would have asked you, "What do you want?". Don't just say, "Okay".
It was an information for Jesus. I believe Jesus could have done something. He could have prayed. He could have sent a word. He could have done something but funny enough, when you read verse four, he says, "Oh well that sickness is not for death. It's for the glory of God".
Part 3 | Jesus never showed up
And then, he did not come. And in verse five, the Bible says that Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
But when they informed him that the one he loved was sick, he never showed up.
Part 4 | Jesus was able to heal from distance, but he didn't
I always ask a question, do you think that Lazarus died because Jesus did not come? I am not sure.
Because, he could have healed him from distance. We have seen many Scriptures where Jesus healed some people without him coming necessarily.
For example, there is a man who came to Jesus and told him, "My servant is sick. Come and do something for him".
Jesus said, "I will come". Later, the man changed his mind and said, "Don't come. I am not worthy to receive you in my house Jesus, just speak a word. And the servant was healed.
There is another story of a young boy who was sick. Jesus told the father, "Your son is healed". And immediately, he got healed. So, there was no necessity anywhere for Jesus to come physically. He was able to do something even from a distance.
That's something I want to tell you this morning my friend. Wherever you are from a distance, God is able to heal you. Praise be the living God. He is able to touch you where you are. He is able. Distance has never been a barrier for Jesus to do something for you, to heal you...
Part 5 | Lazarus died
Eventually Lazarus died. In John eleven fourteen, we read, "Then said Jesus unto them plainly Lazarus is dead". That is the first picture.
I just want you to have the picture of Lazarus. The one Jesus loves.
CHAPTER 2 | PICTURE 2 : SHAME
The second picture I want to share with you today is the picture of shame. Why am I talking about shame? Because this story was a shame.
Jesus is the one who loves Lazarus. Okay? They inform Jesus about the sickness of the one he loves. Okay? But he does not come. The one he loves dies. And he doesn't show up.
What a shame! For a fact, it was a shame.
Now, I want to prove to you that the death of Lazarus was a shameful situation for Martha and Mary.
FACT 1 | JESUS ABSENCE WAS QUESTIONED KNOWING HOW CLOSE HE WAS WITH THE FAMILY.
This gives me a very powerful lesson : where there is shame, people will ask you where is your God?
There is shame and reproach when you are in a place where it looks like God is not working in your life. It looks like God is invisible. And you are wondering, Is God really living? It looks like God has forsaken you. It looks like God has abandoned you.
I know, maybe you have been or you still are in that place. I know myself I have been in that place, if not I am still in such place.
Sometime in my life, God seemed absent, totally and completely silent.
Are you in that place where God looks silent? Where People are asking you, where is your God?
Micah seven verse ten says, "Then she who is the name my enemy will see and shame will cover her for who said to me, where is the Lord your God? Where is the Lord your God? My eyes will see her. Now she will be trampled down like mud in the streets".
Now go to John eleven twenty-one. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would have not died".
Go to John eleven thirty-two. Mary came and said to him, "If you have been here, my brother would have not died".
Go to John eleven thirty-seven. Now to confirm that it was a shame, we read, "And some of them said, could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind also have kept this man from dying".
You see shame? Maybe you are in that situation.
I just want to let you know that God is not absent. The silence of God does not equal his absence.
Sometimes, it is true. God can look like quiet, so silent, not saying anything. Things are not moving. Things are not going forward. It looks like you are stagnating but be calm Relax. He knows.
You know? Jesus knew that Lazarus was dead. Nobody told him. He said to his disciples (I paraphrase), "This guy is dead".
Funny enough. When you read in verse 15, He says himself, "I'm glad for your sake that I was not there"
What? Jesus for real? Do You understand? How can Jesus say, "I'm glad I was not there?".
The answer is simple. If he was there physically, he could have done something.
When He said, "I'm glad I was not there", it does not mean that God is glad when you die or when you suffer.
It simply means, "I am glad for the outcome of that situation. I'm glad for what will come out of that situation. I am glad for what I will do after they have been disappointed or ashamed in public".
FACT 2 | THE FACT THAT JESUS DID NOT COME TO HEAL LAZARUS LOOKED LIKE A DEFEAT IN THE EYES OF THE PUBLIC.
Shame comes together with defeat. Defeat means public failure. The second fact confirmed to it was a shame.
In John 11:37, we read, "Could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind also have kept this man from dying?"
Sometime, you can find yourself in a place where it looks like your life is a defeated life. It looked like you are financially defeated. It looked like you are health wise defeated. But who has the final say?
You know? In a boxing competition, you can be defeated in nine rounds but win at the tenth round.
You might have lost a battle, but not a war. Maybe you are there. You look like you have been defeated.
Maybe you say, "My God, I have fallen again. Ah my God I have fallen again. I have fallen again"
My friend, if you have fallen again, rise again. There is hope for the living. How many time even in our lives don't we fall? Yet, we rise again.
Don't allow the devil to convince you that because you have been defeated, it is over. It is not over until God says that it is over.
That situation looks like a failure. Your marriage looks like a defeated one. Your finances look like a defeated one.
My friend, you will win at the end of it all. It is Jehovah who has the final say. Hallelujah.
God is a God of strategy. He knows what he will do. That is why Jesus could say, "I am glad that I was not there. (John eleven verse fifteen).
Jesus is not glad because you are being defeated. Jesus is glad because of what will come out of that situation.
FACT 3 | THE FACT THAT JESUS DID NOT COME WAS A PUBLIC HUMILIATION FOR THE FAMILY
Shame comes with disgrace, public humiliation and confusion.
And I will tell you that for the family, it was a public humiliation, the fact that Jesus never came.
In this text, Jesus mentions glory twice.
In John chapter eleven verse four, Jesus says, "This sickness is not unto death. But for the glory of God". You see? For the glory of God. So, it means in other word that yes, it will look shameful but the purpose of it is the glory.
When you read John chapter eleven verse forty again, Jesus says to Martha, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?".
So, it means that the death of Lazarus was a public humiliation.
Again, twice they mentioned "the one you love". (verse three and verse five).
So, it was publicly a shame and a humiliation from the public's perspective.
LESSONS
LESSON 1 | FRIEND, YOUR PRAYERS ARE NOT WASTED.
When you read Revelation chapter five verse eight, the Bible says that the living creatures have harps, golden bows full of incense which are the prayers of the saints.
The prayers of the saints are in vials before the Lord. Your prayers are not wasted.
You see here? They prayed but there was nothing. Was it wasted? No.
Maybe you are there, I see you, you are praying for your son, for your daughter, for your marriage, for your health, for your finances, and it looks like you are wasting your time in prayer.
No. You are not wasting your time.
LESSON 2 | WHEN YOUR CLOUD IS FULL, YOUR RAIN WILL FALL.
You know what? The second lesson I want to give to you is that God is the God of times and seasons.
If you are praying and God is not answering, it does not mean that God is not hearing your prayer. It simply means that the right time has not yet come. That is the second picture I wanted to show to you the picture of shame.
Maybe you are there. Continue to pray. Persevere. Don't give up. I went through it myself. As prayerful man of God as I was, my first born died. What a shame.
As prayerful man of God as I was, I was chased from a house because I could not pay 150 $ of rent. What a shame.
As prayerful as I was, I had a challenged marriage very well known in Church where I come from.
LESSON 3 | GOD IS WORKING BEHIND THE SCENE.
That is the message I want to let you know today. Shame will not have the final say in your life. Reproach will not be final in your life.
Maybe you have a child who is challenged. Maybe you have a husband who is a challenge. Maybe you have a challenged marriage. Maybe you have some financial challenges. Maybe you have challenges in your ministry.
Whichever challenge you can be going through, it will not be final. That is the meaning of double for shame. Whatever situation you are in, it is not final.
CHAPTER 3 | PICTURE 3 : DOUBLE FOR SHAME
The third picture for today is the picture of double for shame from Isaiah sixty one verse seven.
Now listen to me. Double does not means times two. No. Double means does not mean quantity. Double means quality. Double means beyond. Exceedingly above. Beyond your imagination.
In Ephesians three verse twenty, it is written, "To him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or pray..."
Praise be the living God. Oh men!
PART 1 | HOW DID THE DOUBLE FOR SHAME HAPPEN?
FACT 1 | THEY ASKED JESUS TO COME TO HEAL LAZARUS. JESUS DID NOT COME TO HEAL, BUT TO RESURRECT.
Maybe you are there. You are praying that God will do something for you. I don't say that he will not do. I don't say God is not able. What I mean and what I say is that God has in store for you something greater than your thoughts. Your imagination.
If you are praying and it looks like God is not answering, it does not mean and please don't conclude anything.
The fact that God is not answering your prayer simply means that God has something for you greater than what you are asking.
God will show to you that he is the God who can do beyond what you are asking him.
FACT 2 | THEY PRAYED THAT JESUS WILL COME TO HEAL HIM PRIVATELY, BUT GOD ANSWERED THEM OPENLY.
There is an open reward for your private investment.
Martha and Mary's prayer was private. But God has his way of doing things. He just made sure it becomes public. That is double for shame.
And let me show to you what happened. To confirm to you that after shame there is double glory.
FACT 3 | FROM SMELLING SHAME TO SMELLING DOUBLE GLORY.
Now, go to John chapter twelve verse nine, "Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there and they came not for Jesus sake only but that they might see Lazarus also whom he had raised from the dead".
Verse eleven, "Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away and believed on Jesus".
Verse nineteen, "The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, perceive you how ye prevail nothing? Behold, the world is gone after him".
For every shame you have ever suffered, there is a double for shame.
Maybe people are mocking your prayer telling you, "You pray. You pray. You pray. Where is that Jesus? Did he come to deliver you? Look at your prayer. Your prayer is not even working. Your tithing is even not working. Your offerings are even not working. Look at how your life is. Still praying, praying, praying, praying..."
Now, I want to let you know. There is a double for shame promise for you in the name of Jesus Christ.
When Lazarus was in the tomb, he was stinking. Now, after his resurrection, Lazarus is shining.
I don't know in which grave you are : the grave of loneliness? the grave of barrenness? the grave of poverty?
I don't know. Maybe your life is stinking because the Martha the sister of Lazarus said, "He is stinking".
I have a message for you. Jesus will get you out of that grave and give you double for your shame. I say, Jesus has power to come to the grave and get you out of it and give to you double for your shame.
In John 12:42, it is written, "Nevertheless among the chief rulers also, many believed on him. But because of the Pharisees, they did not confess Him lest they should be put out of the synagogue for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God".
PART 2 | DOUBLE FOR SHAME MEANS THAT GOD WILL MAKE YOU A LIVING TESTIMONY.
I say, God will make you a living testimony.
Listen to me. There is testimony and testimony.
There is a testimony that happened in your bedroom. You have been sick, you had a headache, you prayed to God, and God healed you from that headache. Hallelujah. It is a testimony and we give all the glory to God for that. But there are testimonies that you cannot hide.
In fact, there are testimonies you even don't need to talk about.
There are testimonies that speak by themselves.
I don't see anywhere Lazarus praising God and telling people that he was raised from the dead. Nowhere. His testimony was speaking by itself.
Because God wanted to render unto them double for the shame they have endured.
Do you understand double for shame?
Lazarus became a center of attraction, a center of attention, a center of admiration and a center of celebration. Oh hallelujah.
I don't know in which place you are. Just say, Lord it will be my experience.
I could hear the Lord saying to somebody you are discouraged. Maybe you are discouraged. It looks like God is not answering your prayer. The same that happened to Lazarus.
The same will happen to you. He will make you the centre of attraction. He will make you the centre of attention. He will make you the centre of admiration in the eyes of all.
Lift your voice and say...
l Lord that is my word today.
l That is my word today.
l Yes you are witnessing about Jesus everywhere.
l Things look like they are not working in your life.
l But God said to you I will come to you and I will deliver you and will become a centre of attention, a centre of attraction, a centre of admiration.
l Can we say to the Lord today yes I feel strengthened in my spirit I will not give up prayer.
l I will not give up giving I will not give up serving God. I will not give up giving the best.
l To God for whatever you have done for me. I will not give up. Praise be living God.
l Until God will come to deliver me. I am not praying in vain.
l I'm not serving in vain. I'm not giving offering in vain. I'm not giving my tithe in vain.
l Lord for any shame.
l People are mocking my faith. People are mocking my dedication.
l They are mocking my Lord for every shame I have ever suffered. I claim double.
l I claim double after the order of Lazarus. It shall be my experience.
l It shall be my experience. Strengthen the faith of somebody today in the name of Jesus Christ. You are there with us. It's not about how we feel, it's about how we believe.
l Sometime we don't feel God being with us. It does not mean about feeling it. It's about believing it. It's about believing it. It is not about feeling God. It's about believing God. John 1140.
l If you believe not if you feel you will see the glory of God.
l Sometime you might not feel God. But it doesn't matter. Not about fulfilling it's about believing.
l If you have faith in God you will see the glory of God.
l God bless your day in the name of Jesus.
l Day of prosperity and day of glory. Day of open doors day of divine favour.
l The day the Lord has made for you to rejoice in the name of Christ. The Lord will confirm Isaiah sixty-one verse seven in your life. In the name of Jesus Christ the son of the living God.
l Amen. And amen. You have a glorious day. Until then God bless you.
l Isaiah sixty-one verse seven will be your experience in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you. Have a good day.
l Next Sunday is the double for shame Sunday service. Praise God. As the Lord liveth every area of your life where you have suffered shame.
l Now it is your birthright to claim before the Lord minimum double of every area where you have suffered shame.
PASTOR TD KASUKU
No comments:
Post a Comment