Pro 18:24 A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother
There was a preacher who was walking in the country side and stopped by a farm house for a drink of water. The old farmer who lived there went out to talk to the preacher.
While they were talking the preacher noticed that the barn had a weather vane on it that was spinning around in the wind. On the weather vane the words "GOD IS LOVE" was engraved.
The preacher said to the man, "I don’t think that is a very good way to talk about God’s love.
Are you saying that God’s love is Wishy Washy and changes depending on the way the wind blows?"
"No, that’s not what I‘m saying, what that Weather Vane is saying is…No matter which way the wind blows, God is Love."
I want you to understand that no matter what you face, today…tomorrow…next week…next year…God loves you and cares about what you are going through.
I think about the words of this hymn we just sang and what it says to me…to us about how much we can trust Him to not only go with us through the storms…sickness and yes even death BUT to know that He WILL bring us out the other side…IF WE ARE TRULY HIS…and we trust Him…
**Remember what I said last week about my trusting Suzanne? I asked the question: “Why can’t I trust God that much? [discuss]
1. I have found a friend in Jesus, He’s everything to me,
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;
The Lily of the Valley, in Him alone I see
All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.
2. In sorrow He’s my comfort………….in trouble He’s my stay; [MY SUPPORT]
**Notice what He does….
3. He tells me every care on Him to roll. [TO TURN OVER TO HIM]
1Pet. 5: 7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.”
4. He all my grief has taken, and all my sorrows borne;
2Peter 2: 24 “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed”
5. In temptation He’s my strong and mighty tow’r;
1 Cor. 10: 13 “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
6. I have all for Him forsaken, and all my idols torn
From my heart and now He keeps me by His pow’r.
**Have you torn the idols from your heart? What are some of the idols you hold tightly to right now? Could fear of he unknown be your idol…?
7. Though all the world forsake me, and Satan tempt me sore…[discuss]
Through Jesus I shall safely reach the goal.
YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY?
BECAUSE
He will never, never leave me, nor yet forsake me here,
While I live by faith and do His blessed will;
8. A wall of fire about me………..BUT I’ve nothing now to fear,
Dan 3: 19-25 “19Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
20And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
21Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
22Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.
23And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”
25“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.””
From His manna He my hungry soul shall fill.
9. When it’s all over and my work here is done…check this out
Then sweeping up to glory to see His blessed face,
Where rivers of delight shall ever roll.
Rev. 22: 1-5 “1And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.”
Have you found a friend like Jesus?
Many are about to face and are facing some tough issues Please be sure…Invitation
