Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided -
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!
This great Hymn of the church was written by Thomas Chisholm.
He did not write this hymn because of something great, or even miraculous that had happened in his life, no, rather he wrote it because as he looked back over his life, he learned to see the great faithfulness of God. At age 75, he wrote these words;
The faithfulness of God is an amazing thing… Not based upon our actions or deeds
but only based upon the commitment and love that He gives us continually on a nonstop basis.
God's faithfulness is everywhere and anywhere, all the time...there is no where
His faithfulness doesn't reach, or that His presence does not touch...
There are some who try to flee from his presence like the story of Jonah in the Bible… But it is an impossible task.
In the modern age that we live in, sometimes we think how much further can humanity get from the presence of God…
but no matter how far society seems from God, His presence is still there… His presence is even closer than the mention of his name!
It is only possible by His presence being available in our lives…to be afforded
the luxury
of mentioning his name in the first place and expecting Him
to act on our behalf in the time of need!
Everywhere all over the world this morning there are people who are not in church this morning...and its a troubling thing
Now for those who have never heard the gospel or known Jesus to be their Savior
and made a profession of faith...
we would understand why they would not be in attendance.
But for those who have sensed and felt the presence of God and accepted Jesus as their Savior...
you wonder how in the world did they ever fall away from the church.
And these are people that we all know… People who were once vibrant and involved
in the work of the church...
Luke 12:48The Message (MSG)
47-48 “The servant who knows what his master wants and ignores it, or insolently does whatever he pleases, will be thoroughly thrashed. But if he does a poor job through ignorance, he’ll get off with a slap on the hand. Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!
We have been given the greatest gift known to mankind...it's not a theory of relativity and or the quantum physics… It's Jesus!
For whatever reason and there really isn't a good one...people choose not to frequent the church on a regular occasion...
But what's worse, is when they choose not to frequent church at all...they just stop
The old adage is… I don't have to go to church to have a relationship with God. And while that is a true statement...
I wonder really...how their relationship is with God when they won't even frequent his house on a regular basis?
While the presence of God is everywhere… Most people don't look everywhere for the presence of God!
Dan Bear illus. "Dan who?" (Every body knows someone who once thought they were more than what were...only
later to find out it wasn't quite the way they everybody else thought it was)
Acts 19:15 NKJ
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”
John 15:11-15 MSG
11-15 “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.
TBS. Jesus told his disciples's and the people there with him… he gave him some great advice, because He knew they would need to be encouraged and refreshed!!
He also said "Do not for sake the assembling of your selves together"
Which means when you have a chance to get together and lift up the name of Jesus you should do it!
Proverbs 18:24 MSG.
24. Friends come and friends go,
but a true friend sticks by you like family.
Psalm 139:7-10NKJ.
7. Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8. If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
9. If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10. Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
Everywhere you look, There God is, you can not escape His presence!
He’s right here, right now, you don’t have to go any farther than the whisper of your voice to Find Him.
Like the song says...He is the air that I breathe! Amen?
He’s ready to act on our behalf in a moments notice, always ready to be attentive to our every need.
Why? You know he really doesn't need a reason…
But if you have to know it's Because He loves us...
And the fact that He loves us for no other apparent reason than because He chooses to do so...makes it even more Amazing!
It has nothing to do with us...
But Everything to do with Him!!
All of humanity needs someone who knows and encourages us...also who will comfort us and build us up continually day in and day out!!
Is there anyone who really knows us? God Does!
Is there anyone who really understands us? God Does!
Is there anyone who really truly cares about us? God Does!
And if you weren't in church this morning...would the world be telling you
how much you are Cared for and Loved by God!
TBS. Jesus said… If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me.
I want you to realize something this morning when you lift up Jesus name…
You… Are also lifted up! Amen??
Because in His name there is LIFE!!
In His name there is Healing!
In His name there is Favor! Amen!
God knows everything there is to know about you, and even after knowing all that there is to know, the good, the bad, the everything,
He still loves you and wants to take care of you and be a part of your life!
David, Elijah, Esther, Daniel, Ruth and you can add your name to that list too.
They were all continually amazed that God was so intimately involved in all the circumstances of their lives!!
And you should be too!
Today, after all this time, God hasn’t changed, He‘s still the same...
He still wants to be intimately involved in all of our lives, if we will let Him...
How much do you want from God in your life?
How much are you willing to let God be involved in your life?
When we consider how God is so involved in our lives and how His Marvelous Grace...
has been extended towards us, through His Son Jesus selfless act of giving on the cross.
You would think everyone would want to be in church and want to have a real and intimate relationship with God and not hold anything back from Him at all.
But you see the devil has blinded and bombarded society with distractions and lies
to the point that they think that there is more hope in what they have in the world
Then the hope that they find in Jesus
The devil has taken advantage of a little thing called a will...
that keeps most people from ever experiencing all that God has to offer.
If they only knew what it was like to have a real relationship with Him, through His Son Jesus...it would Forever change their lives and destiny!
Amazing and amazing as that word is… Does not even begin to describe the
Blessings and opportunities
that start to happen, when a person starts to say "Yes” to the things of God!
There is no escaping the presence of God...
So why not start saying yes Lord every time He ask us to do something...no matter what?
TBS. Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
In the story of Jonah and the whale… Jonah's bed in hell
was in the belly of that whale...but even at his lowest point
Gods presence was still there..still willing to make a way of escape! Amen??
Some people spend there entire life running from God, some just for a season,
Some are running from God this morning and what He wants to do, in and through their lives,
My advice this morning would be...if you're going to run..run in Gods direction
Run towards God and the things He has placed before you!!!
He is your biggest cheer leader...he's saying run child
Run to me and I will meet you at the very first step you take...Amen??
David realized this amazing truth...and you should too!
God has already prepared you in advance for the journey!
Ps. 139:13-16 NKJ.
13. For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mothers womb.
14. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15. My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
The NIV. says it like this,
vs. 16. "all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be."
You have to realize, you are not here by chance this morning, your days have been ordained, it’s no coincidence that your here!
God has been working behind the scenes, bringing this moment to pass
your entire lifetime...knowing you would be here and hearing this word today!!
God is "AMAZING"...and GOD is a Great Planer and He executes His Plans very well!
Just like David realized, you have to realize, God has a plan for you,
He has had a plan for you since before you were born and let me tell you...
it is an excellent plan!
It has never been a wing it type plan or hastily put together, but a well thought out, carefully crafted one, planed in the greatest of detail.
Anytime the accuser ever tries to tell you different you simply remind him of what the Word of God says...he won't want to hear it, because he knows it to be true!!
Jerm 29:11 NASB.
11. For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
That’s why the enemy fights so hard, to do whatever he can (by condemning you) to keep you from ever realizing or getting a hold of Gods Plans for your life!!
Grab hold of Gods plans that He has for you...That’s right plans,
big plans, important plans and God would love for everyone of them
to come about in your life,
When was the last time you sought and trusted God to work and bring about His Plans for your life?
When Jonah was finally willing to go with Gods plan..the results
were nothing short of Amazing. The whole city of Nineveh experienced revival!!
Jonah went with the plan and left the results to God!
Its time we all realized, we are all capable of so much more than what we are doing to further the cause of Christ!
No one is to young or to old...to frail or rambunctious to be used of God...
If you are a willing vessel..God is willing to use you!
Everywhere we go, He’s not far away, He’s right there with us every step of the way,
Giving us the words to say, showing us the way to go, the roads to take.
Why not trust Him today, to take you to the next level in your relationship with Him.
To have Him, help you to be all that He wants you to be,
And to help others to realize the same life changing experience that you enjoy.
If you don't help them… They may never receive the help
that they so desperately need in their lives
Do you believe it this morning, then receive it today?
Reach out and take hold of what God wants to do in your life,
And get ready to be amazed by what God is going to do for you and through you, for His Kingdom!
And you'll be able to reflect and say just as Thomas Chisholm did...
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided -
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!
Amen, Lets Pray!
