WEEK 19 DEVOTIONAL | STONES

Week 19 | STONES

Remove the STONES in your life by showing up with faith and doing the work with and through faith. God will take care of what you can’t, and He will do what you can’t do.

Have you ever faced a big issue and you didn't know how you were going to overcome it?

Peyton Manning was one of the best quarterbacks ever and was well into a hall of fame career when he suffered a series of neck injuries and had to sit out the entire 2011 season. That summer, Peyton was turning 36 years old, and many people thought that he would lose all of his arm strength because of age and injuries. Instead of letting the doubters push him into retirement, he used it as motivation and led the Denver Broncos to the top seed in their division in 2012, but they lost in the playoffs. The Broncos won the top seed in 2013 and the second seed in 2014, but they lost in the playoffs both years. In 2015, Peyton fought through foot injuries and criticism to lead the Broncos to their Super Bowl 50 win before retiring. He wasn't the same quarterback that every NFL defense feared during that Super Bowl run, but he showed up every day, he did his best, and his teammates helped take care of the rest.

When we face a major obstacle, sometimes all we can do is all that we can do.

Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha, and they were all good friends of Jesus. Lazarus was called 'the one whom Jesus loved.' They had all seen Jesus do wonderful miracles, so they knew His power and they believed in Him. Lazarus became very sick, and the sisters sent word to Jesus letting Him know, "the one who you love has become sick (John 11:3)."

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 (John 11:4)," and Jesus waited two more days before going to see Lazarus. By the time Jesus got to Lazarus, he had been dead for four days. Jesus moves on God’s time, not our time. When He got to Bethany where they lived, they took Jesus to the tomb where they buried Lazarus. The tomb was a cave with a STONE laid across the entrance.  

Jesus said, "Take away the STONE," but Martha said that Lazarus has already been dead in the cave for four days, and by this time there will be a bad odor (John 11:30-40). Jesus responded, "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God (John 11:40)?"

When they removed the STONE, Lazarus came out and was alive.

How many STONES are in the way of our miracles? How many problems are keeping us from being great and doing great things?

Jesus brought a man back from the dead; he could have easily moved the STONE. Some of the people watching even said, "Could not He who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying (John 11:37)?"

The STONE in front of the cave was the obstacle or problem keeping Mary, Martha, and the others from seeing the miracle of Jesus bring Lazarus back to life. The lack of faith of some and the doubt of others is something that we all face. The message is that we have to do our part in all of God's miracles, even if there are doubters among us, and especially if we have doubts ourselves. We have to release our faith by doing what we can. We have to move the STONES in our lives by showing up with faith and doing the work with and through faith, and God will take care of the rest.

If you do what you can do, God will do what you cannot do.

Peyton Manning wasn't the same quarterback at 36 years old, battling through injuries, in Super Bowl 50. Some say that the Broncos would have been better off with the backup quarterback leading the way. But Peyton showed up, he did what he could do, and that was enough.

God has given us all a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). It is our job to release it. Release your faith through your words and praise, align your words and thoughts with His promises, and do what He asks you to do, and God will do the rest.

Faith is like a muscle. The more you release it, the stronger your faith grows.

This Week

1 - What STONES are keeping you from your dreams?

2 - What is stopping you from moving those STONES?

3 - What is one thing that you can do today to move those STONES?

4 - Who is someone that can help you move the STONES?

For a Google doc version, click here: Week 19 Devotional | Stones