For Those not familiar with an Anglican Service; we have four readings before the message is shared. The readings for this day were Acts 16:9-15; Psalm 67; Revelation 21:10,22-22:5 and John 14:23-29
You can trust me ... Go ahead and Jump!
I do not think there is a parent ... or a grandparent ... that has not said those exact words ... at one time ... to their children ... or grandchildren.
Be it by a pool side, ... or at the playground.
We would repeat those words .... All the while patiently or impatiently ...standing there ready to catch them, .... with arms ... open wide! (Pause)
It is the same way with God .... with the wonderful, Grace and Peace .... that He extends ... to each of us! (Pause)
I remember ... on more than one occasion, ... having to convince our daughter Kristin ... or our son Justin... to let me throw them up in the air, ...... out in the open water .... of the pool.
And only after they felt both the thrill of the moment ... and the safety of my presence...... did they say these three words repeatedly for the rest of the day, "Do it again .... Do it again ... Do it again daddy"
Until the point came ......when I was fully exhausted. (Pause)
Beloved .... our Father in heaven ... has his arms open wide...... He is always there ... he is always available.
(Slow) He never grows tired of hearing his children, asking Him ....... To do it again, ... do it again ...... forgive me ... again.
Yet so many in this world ... do not trust him.
And If we are honest ... there are times ... when we too ...... really ... do not trust him.
For If we did ... Why would we let our hearts be troubled? (Slow)...... Why would we worry?
Indeed .... If We Fully Trust Him.... Why would we ever worry?
If we constantly lived in that trust, .... we would have confidence ... that He will be right there ....to catch us, .... That he would be right there ....to provide for us.!
Hear our Lords words:
BIBLE "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not Let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid." END (John 14:27)
Do not let your hearts be troubled .... Do not let your hearts be filled with worry.... do not be afraid.
When you rely on the Grace that Jesus freely gives, ......Then there is ... a peace.
A peace that the world cannot give... a peace that passes all human ... understanding.
It is truly... an amazing grace!
Beloved ... an amazing peace ...... Amen!
And It comes by trusting in God's word ... by trusting in God's grace.
Trusting that his grace is ... sufficient.
And Once you have experienced that peace .... the stress of the world ... will begin .... to melt from your very soul.
One thing is certain, (Slow) once you have tasted this peace, .... you will seek to ... mature in it.
To let it permeate (Slow) every aspect of your life.
Beloved .... In the end "Peace" .... Peace of the soul ... is what this flesh ... is truly seeking.
Peace is what the world ... is also seeking.
Yet they cannot ... find it.
Why? ... because it is spiritual .... it cannot be found ... in what the world offers!
It is a peace ... that the world cannot give. (Pause)
There is an old adage ... "Do not sweat the small stuff,".
Well Beloved .... God wants you to know, ......It is all small stuff .... when you place it ... in His hands.
We are called to give our burdens to God .... to lay our burdens down.
Jesus reminds us of this ... "My yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:30)
Yet far too often ... after we lay our burdens down ... we return ... to take them up again and again.
And when we take that burden back......when we pick that burden up .... Our yoke again becomes heavy ... (Slow) ... and there is .... no peace.
If we are honest .......We do not allow him to be Lord ... of every aspect ... of our lives.
The key, ... is to not only lay our burdens at the foot of the cross, ......but to walk away ......and to leave them there!
To trust him completely.
God is the constant .... that sustains us ... through the roller coaster of life, ...... whether we are up or weather we are down, .... He remains the same.
He is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
We have a gracious ... and loving Father .... that we can trust. Amen!
The answer to the Peace that passes all understanding is found ...... in God's miraculous Grace.
He does not want you to be ... fearful.
He does not want you to be ... worried.
He wants you .... to have peace.
And to walk in that peace .... we must .... trust Him.
We must allow him ... to be ... our Lord. (Pause)
There is no doubt ... that at times ... life can be hard.
There is no doubt .... that there are hardships in life ... that come .... when we lest expect them. (Pause
Well ... maybe this illustration will help ... I love good illustrations ... they help me remember the theme ... of the message.
Well Chippie the parakeet ... never saw it coming.
One second, ... he was peacefully perched in his cage.
The next he was sucked in, ... washed up, ... and blown over.
The problem began ... when Chippie's owner ... decided to clean his cage .... with a wet vac ...vacuum cleaner.
She removed the attachment from the end of the hose ... and stuck it in the cage.
The phone rang, ... so she turned to pick it up.
She had barely said "hello" when "sssswhooop!" Chippie got sucked in.
The bird owner gasped, ...put down the phone, .... turned off the vacuum, ....and opened the bag.
There was Chippie .... still alive, .... but severely stunned.
Since the bird was covered with dust and soot, .... she grabbed him .... and raced to the bathroom.
She turned on the faucet, ......and held Chippie under the running water.
Then, realizing .... that Chippie was soaked and shivering, ....... she did what any compassionate bird owner would do . . .
She reached for the hair dryer ... and blasted him with hot air.
Poor Chippie never knew what hit him.
A few days after the trauma, .... the reporter who had initially written about the event ......contacted Chippie's owner ... to see how the bird was recovering.
"Well," she replied, ... "Chippie does not sing much anymore ...... he just sits on his perch and stares."
It is not hard to see why.
Sucked in, washed up, and blown over . . . That is enough ....to steal the song .... from the stoutest heart.
"Sucked in, washed up, and Blown over"
That about sums up ...how many of us feel at times .... isn't it?
Unlike Chippie though, ...... we have a wise and sovereign God ... overseeing the events ... of His children's lives.
Though our trials may be tough ...... Though our trials may be long, .... they come .... with the promise .... of a reward.
A reward .... of Peace ... a peace that the world cannot give. (Pause)
Peace .... Shalom.
And beloved ... Shalom means much more ... than the absence of war ... or the absence of distress.
Shalom means wholeness, ... completeness, ... health, ... security, ... even prosperity.... in the best sense.
When you are enjoying God's peace, .... there is always .... always ... joy.
When you are in God's Peace .... joy and contentment ... permeate your life.
And That Joy becomes Strength.
Remember the promise of God's word ... "The Joy of the Lord Is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)
God's peace is not like the "peace" ... that the world offers.
The world bases its peace ... on its resources, ... often on material things.
While God's peace is based on relationship...... Relationship ... with Him.
To be right with God means to enjoy and to bask ....in His Peace.
In the world, ... peace is something you hope for .... ... Something you work for.... Something you Long for.
But to the follower of Christ, .... peace is God's wonderful gift, .... A gift received ... by faith.
The world enjoys peace when there is an absence of trouble; ....... Christians .... Followers of the Christ.... enjoy peace in spite of trouble ... in spite of trials.
Why...? ... Because the presence of the Holy Spirit is within us.
His Holy presence is living in us ... within those that call Jesus ... their Savior and their Lord. (Pause)
People in the world walk by sight .... they depend on the externals.
Followers of the Christ .... walk by faith and depend on the Eternals.
The Spirit of God teaches us ... and guides us, .... ... Into all truth.
Jesus is clear "Those who love me" .... Do What? "They keep my word." (Slow) They Keep my word and commandments. (John 14:23)
Jesus is the Word made flesh ... And he promises to give us love (John 15:9--10), to give us joy (John 15:11). And to give us peace (John 14:27).
If that Promise does not calm a troubled heart, .... than beloved ... nothing will!
We have the Holy Spirit within us, ... our Savior above us, ... and the Word before us!
What a tremendous resource .... for peace!
Beloved.... Neither Satan nor the world can trouble your heart ...... if you yield to the "peace of God" .... through the Holy Spirit.
God wants your heart to be at rest ... to be at peace. (Pause)
Yes, there are times .... when life can make us feel ... "Sucked in, Washed up, and Blown over"
Yet in the midst of what the world offers .... (Slow) We can have peace.
BIBLE "Peace I leave with you ... Peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled do not be afraid. "END (John 14:27)
Trust him. ... Beloved His arms are open wide ...... He is there ... to catch you.
It is time to lay your burdens down.
His yoke is easy, ... and his burden is light.
He is El Shadi.
He is the God of Joy and Peace.
Beloved .... "Shalom" this day and every day.
Receive his peace....
Amen and Amen!
Much of the opening and the first Illustration were from Charlie Roberts Sermon "You Can Trust Me" Go Ahead and Jump. I commend this Message to you.
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