Tag: Bible

Mark Bishop tells the story of Lazarus with inspired songwriting

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SPECIAL CROSSROADS MUSIC

Southern Gospel music favorite Mark Bishop is so widely acclaimed for his singing that it’s easy to overlook the depth of his songwriting. Yet as his new Sonlite Records single, “Now Lazarus Can Sing” shows, he’s a conscientious and inspired craftsman whose unique way of looking at things has led to powerful affirmations of faith and salvation.

“I was watching the news as someone was being ushered through a bunch of shouting reporters, trying to get information from him,” Bishop recalls. “His people led him to a waiting car where he jumped in, and they took off. My songwriter brain kicked in, and for some reason I began to wonder about the story of Lazarus and the questions people would have lined up for hours to ask him.

“He had seen it. And he was standing right here in front of them. How could you not ask him what it was like? I’m sure what he saw was beyond description.”

Mark Bishop shares the story behind how he wrote “Now Lazarus Can Sing.”
With these thoughts in mind, Bishop has created a compelling vehicle that, in a profoundly Biblical way, embodies — by illuminating through down-to-earth dialogue rather than proclaiming in grand turns of speech — the miraculous story of Lazarus:

Have you seen Lazarus since that day?
Something about him has changed.
You know the day that I’m talking ’bout.
The day Jesus called out his name.

I spoke to him just the other day.
At the market I pulled him aside.
Can you remember the things you saw?
He put his hand on my shoulder and cried.

So I talked to his sister Martha.
“Martha, what’s he said to you?”
She said “he looks out of the window and smiles,
That his worrying days are all through.”

And even as the music swells and subsides, Bishop’s distinctive voice keeps the listener focused on the essentials, framed in a way that only he could have created.

“Just as important as what he saw… what about how he felt? He was a recipient of perfect love. He lost all of his worry… his doubt… his regrets… everything negative.

“He was no doubt the most changed man in the history of the world.

“And maybe,” the singer-songwriter concludes, “… just maybe… he brought back some other traits… a little bit of residue from heaven. That’s what this song is about; how heaven rubbed off on Lazarus.”

James says God doesn’t tempt, but Matthew says the Spirit led Jesus to be tempted; what’s going on here?

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DAVID INGRAM, SR.

James 1:13 tells us that “God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. But Matthew 4:1 says Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Do these scriptures contradict?

The answer is no, though at first glance it might seem like they do. Let’s unpack them carefully in context.

James 1:13 (NASB) says: “No one is to say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.”

This verse is speaking about the nature of God Himself — that He is perfectly holy, incapable of being enticed by evil, and that He does not actively tempt people to sin. The Greek word here can mean to test, to tempt, or to entice to sin, but context determines the nuance. In James, the emphasis is on temptation with an evil intent, to cause someone to stumble.

Matthew 4:1 (NASB) says: “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”

Here, it says Jesus was led by the Spirit into a situation where temptation would occur — but notice, it is the devil who tempts, not God. The Holy Spirit’s role was to bring Jesus into the wilderness for a period of testing as part of His messianic mission, but not to entice Him to sin. It was a proving ground, much like how God allowed Job to be tested by Satan in the Old Testament — not to cause sin, but to reveal character and fulfill a divine purpose.

And though Jesus is fully divine, He was also fully human. Hebrews 4:15 (NASB) — “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.”

Limitless blessings and God’s Generosity

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AMY TURNER

God has the power to give us far more than we can imagine. Ephesians 3:20 reminds us of this truth: “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.” Doesn’t this tell us that God’s ability goes beyond what we can request or even dream?

When the verse begins with “Now to Him,” it points directly to God—the One who is able. But what is He able to do? Everything we ask? Yes—but not just that. He can do even more. Even if we have many needs, or big requests, God is not limited. He offers more than just enough. He gives an overflowing, endless supply of blessings.

This is not just about what we say in prayer. It’s also about what we think—our hopes, our silent thoughts, even our deepest dreams. God can go beyond all of it.

This truth brings peace and encouragement. We serve a powerful God whose generosity has no limits. His power is already at work inside us, making this promise real each day.

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

Embracing the New Self: Transformation Through Christ

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AMY TURNER

When someone believes in Jesus, God gives them a new life. Colossians 3:10 explains that this “new self” is being renewed with true knowledge, shaped by the image of God who created it. The Apostle Paul uses words that remind us of Genesis, showing that this new life doesn’t come from human effort or the image of Adam, but from Jesus Himself.

This transformation is God’s work. We do not create the new self—it is a gift. But we do have a role. Each day, we are called to “put on” this new self, like clothing. That means choosing to live in a way that reflects Jesus. Our words, actions, and attitudes should all show who Christ is.

As the Holy Spirit guides and strengthens us, we become more like Jesus. This allows others to see Him through us. This is the hope and power of the gospel—that God remakes us to reflect His Son.

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17

God’s Word: A Guide for Every Part of Life

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Floyd Rogers

God most often speaks to us through the Bible. It is His way of showing us who He is and what He wants for our lives. Whenever I’ve faced trouble as a believer, I’ve always found that the answers I needed were in the Scriptures.

The Bible may not give us simple facts like a math book, but that’s not its purpose. God’s Word speaks to the deeper parts of life—our decisions, our struggles, our relationships, and our hopes. There is no part of life that God doesn’t address through His Word. It truly is a guidebook meant for His children.

Because of this, we should spend time with it every day. We should take in its truth like food for the soul, letting it shape our hearts and minds. Just like the Apostle Paul encouraged, we should be spiritually rich, full of God’s wisdom. For God’s Word to speak to us, it must live in us.

Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105