Tony Evans: Faith in a dead situation

Thoughts from Tony Evans.

38 Jesus, intensely moved again, came to the tomb. (Now it was a cave, and a stone was placed across it.) 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, replied, “Lord, by this time the body will have a bad smell, because he has been buried four days.” 40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you would see the glory of God?” John 11:38-40

Before God works a miracle, on the level of a resurrection, He often makes an illogical request.

In fact, the more ridiculous the request, the greater the miracle.

You must listen to the request because there will always be an act required of you to demonstrate your faith.

The temptation will be to go logical…to go secular, because the request seems so crazy.

Martha would show she believed by the removal of the stone.

Faith is simply acting like God is telling the truth. Faith is acting that is so, even though it’s not so so, that it will be so, simply because God said so.

Faith is the decision to act in spite of the craziness of the request.

In Hebrews, the faith chapter, it says the name of the person, and what that person did. Your actions are tied to your faith.

Noah built a boat.

What is the miracle you are waiting for? What is God asking of you?

He says: Didn’t I tell you, if you believe, you would see the glory of God?

Harper’s Bazaar: The Good Wife

“So why am I doing this? Because Anthony has always been a smart, caring, and dedicated person, and while he’s the same public servant who wants what’s best for the people he represents, he is now something else – a better man.”

“New Yorkers will have to decide for themselves whether or not to give him a second chance. I had to make that same decision for myself, for my son, for our family. And I know in my heart that I made the right one.”
-Huma Abedin

Read more.

“The Good Wife” can be found in Harper’s Bazaar, starting Aug. 20.

Summer 2013 Photoblog

As summer comes to a close, I think I owe this crazily busy summer a mini-photographic journey blog. Some important people are missing, but I didn’t want to publish their photos without their consent. My summer was filled with many international people, seeing my amazing family and throwing a surprise birthday party, old family friends gracious enough to be my host family, a gala, Beltsville Seventh-day Adventist Church, a Ukrainian wedding, Brooklyn beaches, sunshine, blazers, a reunion with a beloved cricketer, meeting a fascinating and bright new friend, Madeline Albright, Baltimore rain, yellow legal pads…But to the people who blessed me and made my summer special, I send you my love and thank you. Thank you New York. Thank you D.C. I am so blessed.-GY

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Started the summer off wearing Pipo Pere (San Juan-New York).

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Jettin’ off to the capital.

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I found the magical forest in the District of Columbia (left). Summer home at breakfast time, when the sun hit it just right (right).

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Capitol building and State Dept. saw a lot of me this summer. Women’s Refugee Commission (right).

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Suited up for the office (left). Fourth of July with friends at Annapolis (right).

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Marietta House magic. Spent a Friday and Saturday wandering its gorgeous clearing.

He asks you a question

“Behold I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27

He asks you a question–is there anything too hard for Him?

Isaiah 14:27 says: “For God has planned, and who can stop it? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?”

“Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great things, which you know not.” Jeremiah 33:3

So He invites: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 5: 14, 15