Is Jesus enough?
Psalm 4:19-8
Prayer-
Introduction-
Turn to Psalm 4:1-8
I would like to begin by telling you a true story of what happen to author John Eldridge and Anthony Sosinski who went on a fishing trip on the ocean that went terribly bad. Have you ever thought about being lost at sea? They were about 40 miles out near Montauk, Long Island. Anthony was sleeping and John was getting things ready for the big catch they were going to get. While getting ready, John was pulling on this handle with all his might when the handle broke, john went flying backward and right off the boat. The boat was on auto pilot so John just watched as it pounded over a wave and vanished in the night. He was alone, treading water in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, without a life vest, thinking this was the way he was going to die. While John was trying to calm down, quiet his thoughts of certain death, and stay afloat, he realized that his boots were very buoyant. And he got an idea. He took one off, emptied it out, and plunged it back into the water so that it created an air pocket. It did. And it floated. So John stuck his boots under his arms as flotation devices. At least he could stay afloat. A flicker of hope. John thought of his family and the fact that no one, anywhere, even knew that he was missing. Except maybe the two sharks that swam about fifteen feet away, but fortunately, they didn’t seem to care. He tried to set goals, beginning with just living till morning. Four hours later, Anthony woke up and realized John was gone. He called the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard began its search procedures, even though the Coast Guard commander admitted he didn’t have much hope of finding John in so much open water. On the boat, Anthony found the broken handle and knew what John must have been doing when he went overboard. But the hours kept passing, and there was no sign of help. Finally he spotted a fishing buoy and was able reach it and climb onto it. This was a new surge of hope. In less than an hour a Coast Guard helicopter flew nearby and spotted John waving and splashing. They pulled him up to safety. “We’ve been looking for you for nine hours today,” the Coast Guard rescue diver told John. “Well, I’ve been looking for you for twelve,” John answered.
How hard are you pursuing the things of God?
How important are they to you- like we said last week, things happen in a moment- suddenly you are in the fight of your life, the struggles of your life, and the decisions of your life. Sometimes, you run out of time.
Psalm 4:1-8 read from Bible
This portion of scripture is King David crying out to God for relief and help and God’s response of provision and comfort.
People today are being called to have faith in themselves rather than in Jesus Christ.
Do we really feel like God wants us to feel better about ourselves or does He call sinners to recognize their hopelessness without Jesus.
Isaiah tells us that unredeemed people are incapable of doing anything to please God.
Paul tells us
“Natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually blind.”
“The fool has said in his heart there is no God.”
King David’s own son Absolom is pursuing him and trying to kill him and take his throne- and he is gaining supporters and it is getting harder to keep him away.
So what can we expect from our God once we are calling out to him with a heart of desperation and humbly seeking him?
We can expect relief, Joy, and a good night’s sleep.
For some of us that would be an answer to prayer.
Let me explain-
”Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayers.”
It begins when we acknowledge that what we need most is God
This world is not safe, this is not all there is for a believer, there are things that this world cannot give you.
One is eternal hope. The world cannot give you the fulfillment that reaches down into our souls. Into our guts!
Christians today have to realize that nothing is impossible for God!
That does not mean that the only way God helps us is to take the pain away or bail us out of circumstances. He could remove every problem but does not have to remove every problem.
He may not take every storm away but he is able to calm a storm or see you through a storm and give you strength in the storm or use you in a storm.
Relief in the eyes of David was not that God would take it all away but that he had trust that God would see him through them.
“Give me relief from my distress, have mercy on me and hear my prayers.”
Calling on God to hear your prayers is a start to getting your prayers answered.
Is Jesus enough?
That is a simple questions with a hard answer that only you can answer. No one can answer that for you.
I want you to know that if Jesus is not enough, you will have struggles that you will have a heck of a time getting out of. If it is Jesus Christ plus something than Jesus is not enough for you.
Jesus plus a job
Jesus plus a boyfriend/girlfriend/ husband/wife.
Jesus plus stuff. Than Jesus is not enough.
Where you will see relief from the Lord is when you not only say Jesus is enough but live your life like Jesus is enough.
Illustration
This week I met a gal that I had not seen a years. She had been a part of some ministries here and had moved out of state and I lost track of where she was. I met her this week at a drive thru window of a fast food restaurant. She walked by, I smiled and she went by. I thought she did not recognize me and in a moment, she was at the window face to face. Are you Pastor Tony? Yes, and I said her name and greeted her. Not a hello, not a how you doing, she immediately told me of her problems at work, her need for supplies from Bountiful Blessings and after reeling from all that, I look and the cars were piling up behind me. I left the window in distress. Years had passed, but the heart was the same. Her situations had no changed because her heart had not changed- Jesus was not enough. She had no need for Jesus, just what Jesus and His people had to give her.
You want relief, you must make Jesus enough-
You want less stress- make Jesus enough-
Researchers have determined that we produce 50,000 thoughts a day and 70-80% of them are negative. You want relief, make those numbers change- make 70-80% of your thoughts be positive and based on the Lord and His goodness to you for what He has done.
Biblical Meditation works- we call it prayer. It is the art of reading God’s word, thinking on godly things and has it reflect us back to God and renews our soul from pressure, pain, suffering, injustice. It is communion, communication with God. Two way conversation.
Righteous is God. He is the perfect one. We are righteous when we are in a right relationship with a perfect God. Biblical meditation (prayer) works because we are communing with God. We allow Him to speak to us, and He graciously lets us talk to Him. That is when we receive his relief and His presence. His relief comes by taking it away or helping us to get through it- either way, He is there with us if we will let Him.
(2) “How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods. Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.”
God used King David to tell those around him that watched as he went through all those trials and problems- How long are you going to deceive yourself into thinking that you can do these things without God? Those that have been set apart from God for a purpose will know that God hears their prayers and will respond.
(6) “Many, Lord, are asking, who will bring us prosperity? Let your light of your face shine on us. Fill my heart with joy when their grain and ne wine abound.”
We cannot be seeking after prosperity- we need to be seeking His Joy. Joy is a much better gift that lasts than prosperity.
The world wants a god in his genie mentality to pour out blessings.
They think that prosperity is the answer to their troubles- it is not.
Being filled to over flowing with His Joy will last.
The joy of the Lord is my strength.
Peace like a river flows from the heart of God when He fills us with His joy.
Like Robert Schuller has said “Joy is not the absence of suffering. It is the presence of God.” Life sure is full of challenges but God has promised to always be there for us
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:11).
Worldly churches are no good to the world- stop apologizing for God saying that if you want His joy, you have to be filled with His Spirit. You want the things of God, you need to know God.
There is only one way to have the Joy unspeakable and full of His glory.
There is only one way to have the peace of God that passes all earthly understanding.
God interrupts, intervenes, and sometimes interferes… but He will never apologize for His character! That you can quote me on!
Once you have God’s presence in your life- Jesus will be enough. You will not be looking for the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, but be on your knees asking for more of God in your life!
Last part of this verse is connecting with God-
(8)” In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
King David got it right
“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.”
Larry Crabb- Psychologist
“Ever since God expelled Adam and Eve from the garden, we have lived in an unnatural environment, a world in which we were not designed to live. We were built to enjoy a garden without weeds, relationships without friction, fellowship without distance. But something went wrong, and we know it, both within our world and within ourselves. Deep inside we sense were out of the nest, always ending the day in a motel room, never at home.”
Seeking God takes effort and it is not easy- if it was everyone would be do it. But here is God’s promise- “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
David was a man after God’s own heart for one reason- He sought after God.
There is only one way that we can truly lay our heads down at night and experience the peace that God desires.
There is only one way to experience the Joy that Jesus offers those that follow Him.
David’s rest came in the presence of God surrounding him and letting him know that he was safe. No matter what happen, David was safe in the arms of God.
He is our rock and our fortress and our shield.
That does not sound like a God that takes us out of every situation.
It sounds like a God that will be with us in every situation.
As we close, Ask yourself-
God are you enough? My circumstances bring me that question often- it still must be answered individually.
“And my God shall supply all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
As I get older, I realize I need God more in my life everyday.
I try to not learn everything the hard way.
I understand this world and that this is not all there is for me- I am not home yet.
When a friend betrays me…
When I need to forgive…
When my mother went through cancer
When my friends went through cancer and those with terminal illnesses.
When people don’t do what they say they will do…
When my past tries to destroy me…
When I am depressed and ready to give up…
When there are bills that I cannot pay…
God’s word tells us that He is sufficient. He is enough.
Prayer-
Dear Lord, help me to realize and remember to be content in all my circumstances, you must be working in my life. Help me to be aware of your presence and your Spirit in my life. Joy comes from within.
